Of Masks and Deceit
by NovaLinx
Summary: Kurosaki Ichigo has tried his hardest to live his life as a normal teenage human, but the Xcution lurks in the shadows, waiting to catch him. Peace does not last long in Karakura Town, and especially if your name is Kurosaki Ichigo. AU.
1. Chapter 1

****Hello! This is my very first story and I am really exited to write this fanfiction! I welcome critiques, but please, no flames.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Bleach_ or _Hamlet _and all works belong to Mr. Kubo Tite and Sir William Shakespeare.

**Introduction**

It has been one year since the winter war in Karakura town and one year since Kurosaki Ichigo lost his shinigami powers. He is now seventeen years old and is living his life as a normal teenager. The first month, after waking up from his three-month coma, had been really hard for him. He became depressed because he was not able to protect anymore. His friends were worried about him and they tired their best to cheer him up. Ichigo needed to clear his mind of the past. So one day after school, he took the train to an old theatre. A place that his mother used to take him to on Saturdays to see plays. It looked abandoned, and just as he was about to walk away a woman walked out, greeted him, and asked him a simple, yet profound question, "Do you like Shakespeare?" From then on, he found his escape from his gray reality.

**7:00 a.m., Kurosaki Ichigo's Bedroom**

Kurosaki Ichigo was sleeping peacefully until...

"GOOD MORNING ICHIGO!"

Kurosaki Isshin was about to falcon punch his son's head, until said son instinctively got up and kicked his father into the wall. Isshin's body made a perfect imprint on the wall.

"Seriously old man, enough with the insane wake up calls. It's getting old, like you," Ichigo said scowling.

Isshin fell off the wall and jumped up with a goofy smile on his face, completely ignoring his son's insult.

"You are improving greatly, my son!"

With an evil glint in his eye, Isshin leapt forward and tried to round-kick Ichigo in his face. Instinctively. Ichigo stepped to the side. Instead of Isshin kicking Ichigo, he kicked and shattered his son's bedroom window. Isshin was now hanging on to the windowsill with both hands, holding on for dear life.

"Ichigo a little help here, son," Isshin pleaded as his struggled.

"No way old man. You brought this upon yourself." With an evil smirk Ichigo pried his father's right hand off of the window seal.

"Ichigo, what are you doing! Wait I'm going to fall, what if I die?" Isshin was now only holding on with one hand.

"It doesn't matter, you'll just go to Soul Society anyway." Ichigo then proceeded to pry his father's left hand off the windowsill. Isshin fell to the front yard with a hard thud.

Ichigo looked out his broken window to see Isshin lying on the grass, unconscious, but unharmed. Satisfied, Ichigo got dressed for school and went downstairs for breakfast.

"Good morning oniisan," Yuzu said in her bubbly voice.

"Good Morning Yuzu, Karin," Ichigo said.

"Morning Ichigo," Karin said nonchalantly.

Ichigo grabbed a piece of toast and headed out the door, to school.

"I'm worried about oniisan, Karin," Yuzu said with her eyebrows scrunched up.

"He's fine Yuzu. You know how he is," Karin said digging into her bowl of rice.

Isshin miraculously walked into the house, a little sore and disheveled, but fine nevertheless.

"What happened to you," Karin asked.

"Ichigo, my ungrateful son, pushed me out the window and made me fall," Isshin whined.

Karin snorted. "Serves you right. You really should stop fighting him old man."

"What do you want me to do? Stop the Father and Son Eternal Duel tradition? No way!"

Karin and Yuzu both face palmed.

**8:00 a.m., Kurakura Academy**

Ever since Ichigo has lost his powers, his friends have been walking on eggshells around him. Ichigo, on the other hand, has been trying to live a normal as possible life. He made his choice to sacrifice his powers to save his town and Soul Society, and he could deal with that.

He found different ways to fill up his free time, he got a part-time job and he is on the soccer team. But unknown to everyone around him, he has delved into something that no one would expect him to do…Acting. Yes, Kurosaki Ichigo is the secret member of the Shakespearean Revival Club, and he has been for three weeks now. The club is currently working on a production of _Hamlet_, in which Ichigo has the lead role of Hamlet. Acting was a great way to relive his emotions. To him it was an escape. Instead of speaking Japanese he has to speak in Old English, which makes Ichigo very grateful that he took a liking to learning English. Old English was no joke, especially to a non-native English speaker.

Ichigo was sitting at his desk staring out of the window.

"Good morning, Kurosaki-kun," Orihime said happily. Ichigo looked up at her.

"Morning Orihime," he said giving her a small smile. Tatsuki walked up next to Orihime.

"Hey, Ichigo. Man I'm glad it's Friday," Tatsuki said.

"Hey Tatsuki. Me too," Ichigo said.

"Are you busy after school today Ichigo," Tatsuki asked.

"Uh, yeah. I have to work," Ichigo said. That was a lie. Ichigo actually had to go to rehearsal.

"Aw man, again! Your boss is a slave driver. Me, Orihime, Chad, Ishida, Keigo and Mizuiro were going to go to the movies to see _The Dynamic Super Spy_. I heard that the movie was hilarious," she said smiling.

"Well maybe we can do it next time," Ichigo said.

The teacher walked in.

"Stand," the class representative said, "Bow!"

The students took their seats and class began as normal.

**3:40 p.m., Outside Karakura School Gates**

"Bye Ichigo! See you on Monday," Orihime said, waving.

"Bye guys. Have fun," Ichigo said giving a goodbye salute to his friends. He walked away.

Tatsuki, Orihime, Keigo, Mizuiro, Chad, and Uryu were walking to the bus stop in silence. Tatsuki decided to break the silence.

"Is it just me or does Ichigo have more hours at his part-time job," she asked.

"I believe his work hours have increased. He just probably wants to save enough money for university," Ishida said. Deep down, he knew that Ichigo was hiding something.

"What for, Ichigo is smart enough to get a full scholarship," Keigo said.

"Maybe it is like a back up plan just in case he does not get a scholarship," Mizuiro said.

"That is why I have a part-time job. Kurosaki-kun is doing the right thing. I just hope he does not burn himself out.

He watched as his friends walked to the bus stop. He really wished that he could go, but acting was his passion. Ichigo headed to the train station. When he arrived, he had almost missed his train. Surprising the train was not as packed as he expected it to be. He found an empty seat next to an older woman. Ichigo took out his script and began reading. Unknown to Ichigo, a certain raven-haired shinigami was following him.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own _Bleach_ or _Hamlet _and all works belong to Mr. Kubo Tite.

Note: _Hello_- Thoughts

* * *

><p><strong>4:38 p.m., Mysterious Old Theatre<strong>

Ichigo walked in the theatre. He opened the large doors to primary auditorium, which had a large and elaborate stage.

A woman with blonde hair in a bun, dressed in a black cardigan, blue jeans, and white sneakers, came waltzing out on the stage with her hands on her hips. This woman was Kojimi-sensei, the director. Kojimi-sensei was from England, but moved to Kurakura with her Japanese husband five years ago. She taught English part-time at Takahashi Academy of Academic Excellence, a very ritzy private high school. Most of her students in the club came from there, excluding Ichigo. She spoke nearly perfect Japanese. She was nice, but tough when she needed to be.

"Ah Ichigo-kun, you made it! I am glad that you arrived here safe," she said in her kind, silky voice.

"Hello sensei, me too. So what are we doing today," Ichigo said putting his bag down in one of the seats.

"Today we are going to start _Hamlet_. We are going to do Act I scene I, so you don't have to rehearse today," she said smiling. "Although I hope that you still rehearsed a good portion of your lines."

"I did. I can recite them in my sleep," Ichigo said confidentially. He looked around. "Where is everyone?"

"Everyone is in backstage getting their measurements for their costumes" Ichigo's face turned sour. "Don't make that face, you are going to be more modern day, yet more sophisticated, costumes," she said giving him a warm smile.

"Oh that's great, I thought that we would have to wear tights," Ichigo sighed really relieved. _Goodness knows what I would look like in tights…_

"Just because this is the Shakespearean Revival Club does not mean we can't be modern," she said. "Now, go backstage to get measured, and then we will start rehearsal."

Ichigo went through the left side door upstairs to the stage.

* * *

><p><strong>4:38 p.m., Mysterious Old Theatre<strong>

Kuchiki Rukia watched Ichigo walk into the old building. Rukia followed Ichigo inside. She watched him converse with the blond-haired woman. A few thoughts came to her mind. _Ichigo is in a club, a Shakespeare Revival Club? Isn't that his favorite author? That name Hamlet does sound familiar? Why is he keeping it a secret then?_

The director called the group of students and gave everyone their roles. Ichigo was given the lead role of Hamlet. He sighed knowing that he was going to have a lot of lines to study and would have to keep up with his school assignments as well.

About an hour and a half later, everyone was filled out of the theatre and went home.

Rukia made sure that Ichigo got home safely, and then flash stepped to the Urahara Shoten.

* * *

><p><strong>8:23 p.m., Urahara Shoten<strong>

Rukia entered the very out-of-place shop. She walked to the back room where Isshin, Urahara Kisuke, and Shihoin Yoruichi were currently in, sitting around the low round table in deep conversation.

"I'm back. May I enter," Rukia asked.

"Come in," Urahara welcomed in a cheery voice.

Rukia opened the sliding door. She walked in and gracefully sat down across from Yoruichi, currently in her human form.

"Welcome back Kuchiki-san," Urahara said, "So, what news do you have for us?"

"I was monitoring Ichigo, and he took the train. You said he normally takes the bus to his part-time job, right Kurosaki-san?" Rukia inquired.

"Yes," Isshin said, getting worried. _What has Ichigo been doing?_

"Well, he got off the train at the downtown area and he went into this old, run-down building, I believe it was a theatre," she said.

"Did you see what he was doing," Yoruichi asked. _What is that boy up to?_

"Yes. Apparently, Ichigo is a part of a acting group. The name of the play was _Hamlet_," Rukia said.

"Really? That's interesting. Was he acting," Urahara said. _Huh. I never knew Ichigo liked Shakespeare. Who knew underneath his tough exterior, lies an intelligent young man._

"Yes. He was playing Hamlet. He was actually really good," Rukia said.

"Why would he hide something like that," Isshin asked. _Well I'm relieved. I thought Ichigo was going to do something reckless like joining a gang._

"Acting may be Ichigo's escape from everyday life. Every teenager needs an outlet. He is keeping it a secret because he is probably embarrassed because he wants to keep his manly reputation," Yoruichi said with a laugh.

"When do you have to go back to Soul Society Rukia," Urahara asked, breaking Yoruichi out of her thoughts.

"I was ordered to check on Ichigo once a week until further notice. I also have to report back to the Commander and the captains," Rukia said.

"They seemed to have taken an interest in my son's well being," Isshin said. _My son really has impressed the Commander and the captains._

"Of course they have Kurosaki-san. We are all indebted to Ichigo for his sacrifice. He has more people supporting him than he thinks. I know it has been rough on him to integrate back into a normal human life," Rukia replied with support for Ichigo. _He helped Soul Society many times. It's only right that we repay him our gratitude._

"How has Ichigo been, physically speaking?" Urahara curiously asked Isshin.

Isshin sighed. "He still has his strength, and his reflexes are sharp as ever," Isshin shuddered remembering his morning.

"You know Kurosaki-san, I really think you should stop attacking Ichigo before he has a breakdown and kills you," Rukia asked with her eyebrows raised in half concern, half amusement.

"Ichigo won't kill me. He loves me! Besides every time we spend fighting is our father-son bonding time," Isshin said proudly.

Yoruichi rolled her eyes, Rukia sweat dropped, and Kisuke his wide smile behind his fan.

"Well," Rukia said. "I will report back to Soul Society.

Rukia grabbed her zanpaktou and opened the Senkaimon. A hell butterfly appeared. Rukia walked through the Senkaimon.

* * *

><p><strong>8:20 p.m., Kurosaki Residence<strong>

Ichigo took off his shoes and walked through the door, exhausted. On his way home he ran into a group of punks. Not feeling like getting into a fight, Ichigo tried to walk past the group. Unfortunately, they noticed him and his vivid orange hair, so they stopped him. It was a typical victim and gang encounter, but how Ichigo was able to get away was interesting. The former shinigami-daiko (substitute) did not even have to put up a fight.

* * *

><p><strong>Earlier, 7:45 p.m.<strong>

_Damn, all I want to do is go home, but no, these idiots have to mess with me. Well looks like I am going to have to teach these punks a lesson._

Ichigo was currently scowling, wishing that he had taken another route home.

"What gang are you from orange boy," the leader of the group said. He had spiky brown hair with a yellow streak in it.

"I'm not a part of any gang," Ichigo said.

"Then why is your hair bright orange," the second member said. All of his gold teeth were gold.

Ichigo rolled his eyes at the question that he heard from people his entire life. "I was born with orange hair because of my genes. It is one-hundred percent natural," he said.

"Yeah. Right. It has to be bleached," the third member said, who wore a yellow scarf tied around his head.

"It isn't. Now if you three will please excuse, I have to go," Ichigo said. Ichigo tried to leave, but the group blocked his path.

_A-holes._

"Not so fast orangey. We are not done with you yet," the second member said.

Suddenly, the second member screamed and fell on the ground, fully unconscious. The other members looked at their friend with confusion.

"What the hell just hap-?" The first member looked like he had been shoved to the ground.

"Kyo! Are you ok-?" The third member's head whipped to the right and he collapsed to the ground with a loud thud.

Ichigo had this strange feeling in his stomach. Not a feeling of panic, but of recognition. He guessed that it was a shinigami, but that it was someone who knew him well enough to defend him.

"Rukia, was that you…?" he asked. There was no response, so he kept on walking. On his way home, Rukia couldn't leave his thoughts.

_Was that her? If that was then why is she here? I thought that other shinigami, what's-his-face, was helping my friends protect Karakura Town? That could have been her. The midget does hit pretty hard. Why am I even thinking about her? I should be thinking about soccer or the play._

Ichigo walked home with many thoughts on his mind.

* * *

><p><strong>Rukia's POV<strong>

"Rukia, was that you…?" Ichigo asked. Rukia could see the hope in his eyes. Rukia looked at him with eyes filled with concern.

"Ichigo…I wish that you could see me again. Maybe, one day, but you have your entire life to live. You sacrificed too much at such a young age. I hope that the day you are able to see me again is when you peacefully die as an old man in your sleep, with family surrounded at your bedside," she said. That was her hope for Ichigo. She did not want to see him suffering, like the world was on his shoulders.

Rukia watched as Ichigo walk away. She jumped up and walked a few feet off of the ground to catch up with him.

"Ichigo," His sisters ran up to give him a hug, happy that their older brother was home safe and sound.

"Hey Yuzu, Karin. How was your day" Ichigo asked.

"Meh, nothing new," Karin said with her normal un-excited tone.

"It was great! How was school and work?" Yuzu asked.

"School was fine." Ichigo yawned. "Work was tiring,"

"Your dinner is in the microwave," Yuzu said.

"Thanks Yuzu. Where is the old goat?" he asked.

"The old goat went out somewhere," Karin said nonchalantly.

After Ichigo ate his dinner, he climbed the stairs and went to his bedroom. He took off his school uniform and put on a gray t-shirt and black shorts. He plopped onto his bed and fell asleep instantly as his head hit the light, feathery pillow.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> 01/05/13 Updated and changed. I took out the Hamlet part, which I will do for the other chapters. I will only mention that Ichigo goes to rehearsals. -Nova


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own _Bleach_ and all works belong to Mr. Kubo Tite.

Note: _Hello_-Thoughts. Also, all OC belong me.

* * *

><p><strong>11:30 a.m., Rooftop of Karakura Academy<strong>

"So Ichigo, what are your plans after school today?" Tatsuki asked.

"Uh, well, I may have to work again," Ichigo said taking a bite out of his onigiri.

"Are you serious? Again! Tell me who your boss so that I can talk to him" Tatsuki looked pissed.

"Whoa, relax Tatsuki! My boss is female by the way. Besides, I don't mind working the extra hours."

"But what about us hanging out on Fridays?"

"I'm free on Saturday," Ichigo suggested.

"Uh, Kurosaki-kun, don't you normally do things with your sisters?" Orihime joined in.

"Oh yeah, well what about Sunday?" Kurosaki asked.

"Sundays are my homework and study days," Uryu said.

"Sundays are my family outing days with my parents," Tatsuki said.

Ichigo sighed. "Well, I guess I can talk to my boss about letting me have Fridays off."

"Good, because if you're always busy, you won't have any more friends to hang out with," Tatsuki said.

The lunch bell rang, Ichigo's friends headed back inside the school building. As Ichigo was getting ready to leave himself, he noticed Keigo looking out of the roof's fence. He walked over to him.

"Come on pea brain, lunch just ended," Ichigo joked.

When Keigo answered, he realized his solemn demeanor.

"Do you miss her?" Keigo asked.

"Do I miss who?" Ichigo asked.

"Do you miss Rukia?" Keigo asked.

_What possessed Keigo to ask that? _"No, I don't miss her," Ichigo said.

"What about the others?" Keigo asked.

"No. I don't miss any of them. You better come on or you're going to be late for class," Ichigo ended as he walked off to class.

"I'll be there in just a moment, Ichigo." Keigo looked at Rukia as she jumped down from the fence. "I'm sorry that you had to hear that, Rukia-san."

"I am not affected by his statements. I know Ichigo. He won't admit his true feelings," Rukia confirmed with a solemn expression on her face.

* * *

><p><strong>Saturday 4:15 p.m., Train to Kurakura<strong>

To say that Ichigo was tired was an understatement. He and the other cast had spent six and a half hours rehearsing the play. They finished all three acts. Ichigo was not happy that he had to wake up early on the one Saturday where he did not have to do any homework. On top of that, his boss called him out of the blue and told him he had to go in for work. All he wanted to do was to go home and relax.

* * *

><p><strong>7:30 p.m. Naruki City, Outside Apartment Complex<strong>

"Are you ready for the games to begin Ginjo," a man said jumping down to the ground.

"Tsukishima? What are you doing here," Ginjo asked.

"I finished my mission. Now on to the next plan," Tsukishima said.

"Right. It's time to lure in Kurosaki," Ginjo said with a nasty smile.

"So are you sure you want to do this?" Tsukishima asked.

"Yes. It needs to be as real as possible," Ginjo said.

"Okay then."

Tsukishima's Fullbring radiated bright green with power, as he stabbed Ginjo in the chest with the sword.

"See you later, Ginjo," and Tsukishima vanished into the night.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Hooray! A cliffhanger. More Fullbring action will occur in the next chapter. Please review!


	4. Chapter 4

**I apologize for not updating this story in ages! I've been busy with studying and finals. Thank you so much to those who reviewed, added this story in their favorites and to their alerts! Ramen for everyone!**

Disclaimer: I do not own _Bleach_ or _Hamlet _ and all works belong to Mr. Kubo Tite and Sir William Shakespeare.

Note: _Hello_- Thoughts. Also, all of the OC's were created by me.

**3:50, Tuesday, Unagiya Shoten**

Ichigo sat still, tightly bound to a couch.

"Can you please untie me now?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes, but only if you don't try to run away," Ikumi, his boss, said.

"I promise, I won't. Thank you for saving me. I didn't even know you could fight like that," Ichigo said.

Ikumi chuckled. "There are a lot of things you don't know about me," she said.

She proceeded to untie him. Ichigo stretched out his muscles. Then the phone rang, grabbing Ikumi's attention. She picked up the phone, eager for another job.

"Hey, thanks for calling! The Unagiya shop is fast, cheap, and reassuring." Ikumi listened to the person on the other end for a while. "No, this is not an eel shop! The shop is spelled U-n-a-g-i-y-a, not u-n-a-g-i," Ikumi irritably voiced to the confused caller.

She hung up the phone, muttering something under her breath. 

"Why don't you just change the name of the store?" Ichigo asked.

"I can't. Unagiya is the name that comes from my ancestors," Ikumi replies.

"Mommy!" From another room, Ichigo and Ikumi could hear her so call to her. In that instant, Ikumi took off her hat and gloves, pulling on an apron, just before her son, Kaoru, walked into the room. She kneeled down to his eyelevel and wiped some dirt off of her son's cheek.

"I'm hungry," he said.

"Kaoru, you know that you are not supposed to come into this room barefoot," Ikumi chastised.

"Sorry Mom," the boy apologized, noticing Ichigo watching their mother and son moment.

"What is Kuro-dummy doing here?" the boy whined. "Don't go thinking that you can get close to my mom just because she's a babe." giving Ichigo the evil eye.

Ichigo snorted at that comment.

"Sorry, Kaoru hasn't warmed up to you yet," Ikumi said, attempting to cover for her son.

"I understand. In the future, maybe we can become good friends. What do you think Kaoru," Ichigo said smiling.

Ikumi thought that he was going to say something insolent.

Kaoru was taken aback by Ichigo's kindness. "Yeah, sure," he said.

Ikumi sent Kaoru back into the other room and told him that he would be with him shortly. Suddenly, the bell rang.

"A customer? Come in," Ikumi called.

As the door opened, a cool breeze came into the shop, following a man with slicked black hair walked in carrying a bowl in his left hand. At first glance of the man, Ichigo thought of the similar appearance of his past enemy-Aizen.

"Hello, welcome to the Unagiya Shoten. How may I help you." As a natural woman of business, Ikumi quickly welcomed the man with a smile.

"Hey, you're the guy who I gave the stolen wallet back to, right," Ichigo asked, remembering him from before.

"Yes. I wanted to thank you. Let me treat you to some ramen," he offered holding out the bowl of ramen.

"Uh, no thank you. This is an eel restaurant," Ichigo politely refused.

"Like hell it is!" Ikumi snapped, still not fully forgiving of the last phone call.

"What is your name?" Ichigo asked.

"Ginjo Kujo," he responded. He sat down on the couch across from Ichigo. He took the pair of chopsticks that was on top of the covered bowl, lifted the cover, and slurped up the steaming ramen.

"How did you find out where I work?" With Ichigo's suspicion being raised, he had to ask. The last thing he needed was another creeper like Aizen.

"I asked around, you're pretty well known since the _incident_ last winter," Ginjo emphasized on the word, suddenly turning a light mood into an ominous one.

"Are you a customer, Ginjo-san," Ikumi asked.

"Yes, so why don't you bring me some Oolong tea," Ginjo asks.

"I only have Suntory," she said.

_I can't believe she is actually going to get him a drink; the jerk didn't even ask nicely or say please_ Ichigo thought.

"So, what do you want with me?" Ichigo asked.

"That's a weird question. I just came into this store by chance. You see, I was looking for a place to have a certain job done for me and I just happened to come across this shop. Quite a coincidence, no?" Ginjo said.

"Not really. Is it a coincidence that you just so happened to have some ramen with you?" Ichigo quirked his eyebrow.

"Give it a rest. I just like ramen."

"If you're going to carry ramen around with you just because you like it, then I am going to carry chocolate around," Ichigo said sarcastically.

"That's adorable, you like chocolate?" Ginjo said smirking.

"Don't try to change the subject," Ichigo said calmly.

"This isn't going anywhere, and I did not come here to argue with you," Ginjo said.

Ikumi came back empty handed, "forgetting" the drink because she was too occupied fixing her son a snack.

"Are you the boss?" Ginjo asked.

"Yes, I am," she said with her hands on her hips.

"I would like for you to investigate someone for me," he said. Reaching his hand into his jacket, he took out a picture from the inside of his jacket and placed it on the table in front of him. The picture was of Ichigo's father.

"His name is Kurosaki Isshin," Ginjo said.

Ichigo's instincts skyrocketed.

"Are you messing with me?" Ichigo asked. "What the hell do you want?"

"Do you know this man?" Ginjo asked innocently.

"That man happens to be my father. Now, what do you want?" Ichigo, not caring anymore, dared to use a forceful tone.

"Really, he's your father? I want nothing more than just a little info on your father. But do you really know enough about your father to be able to answer my questions?" Ginjo asked.

_The idiot is trying to make me have doubts about my old man. He may be extremely irritating and mysterious as hell, but he'll tell me his past when he wants to tell me..._

"Are you a police office or an private investigator? If you are I would like to see some identification please," Ichigo said.

"I'm something like private investigator, but I don't have any identification on me. You probably don't even know anything about your own family," Ginjo said.

_What an ass. _Ichigo was seconds away from kicking him out of the store.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Ginjo smirked, showing Ichigo he was definitely someone on the devious side and wasn't afraid to start something right there, right now.

Ikumi slammed her hand down on the table, wanting to end things before they started.

_Hm. Ikumi has had enough of this guy as well. _

"Alright that is enough for today. We're closing shop in a few minutes," she said.

"So does that mean you are taking the job?" he asked.

"I'll contact you after I think about it," she said.

"Alright. I'll leave my contact information. Kurosaki, you may want to head over to the Urahara shop. You might see something interesting," Ginjo said.

He headed out of the door. _I want to punch him so hard right now, but I am going to play the ignorant card and see how much of a threat this guy is._

Ichigo said goodbye to Ikumi and hurried to the Urahara shop.

He made it just in time to see Karin coming out of the shop. He looked concerned.

"Concerned."

Ichigo spun around. _Oh great, just what I needed, another creeper._

"After all your sister keeps visiting, such shady character," Ginjo said dismissively.

"He is not shady he—" Ichigo looked upset. _Urahara isn't shady, he's just also extremely mysterious, but that's who he is._

"'-Rescued us?' How well do you actually know this Urahara guy? I'm just giving you a warning to protect your family." Ginjo put his hands in his pockets.

"Why would my family need protection? They are not in danger," Ichigo stated.

"Are you sure about that?" Ginjo said.

"Is that a threat?" Ichigo's eyes narrowed.

"No, I'm just a concerned citizen who is worried about your family's safety." He said with his hands up in defense.

"Here take this. I'll be seeing you around," he said. Ginjo walked away.

Ichigo looked at the card that Ginjo gave him. In the middle of the card, it read XCUTION.

He pocketed the card. He needed to tell his dad about this guy immediately. He also needed to tell friends, because they were automatic targets.

**Friday 11:30 a.m., Rooftop of Karakura Academy**

"Hey, is Ichigo going to eat lunch today?" Keigo asked.

"I think so, why?" Tatsuki asked.

"Well, I saw him going downstairs on the way out of class," Keigo said.

"Maybe is in the library. He probably has homework that he needs to do," Ishida said.

"What! You mean he's in the library! He's abandoned us. He's going to become a hermit. Next thing we know he's going to be wearing glasses and joining the book club," Keigo whined.

"You're just over reacting. Haven't you ever gone to the library to study?" Orihime asked.

"…No," Keigo said.

"Hn, I can tell that just by looking at your grades," Ishida said smirking as he pushed up his glasses.

"Hurtful," Keigo whined. Tatsuki punched Keigo in the face.

Ichigo walked towards his friends. He just came back from the library to see if Ginjo name appeared in any record databases. He found nothing, just as expected.

"Hey Ichigo, what's up," Tatsuki greeted.

"Nothing much," Ichigo said. He punctured his juice box with the straw and took a sip of juice.

"Ichigo, do you have work today?" Orihime asked.

"Yes I do. Hey everyone, could you come by my house tomorrow in the afternoon?" Ichigo asked.

Chad nodded at Ichigo.

"I can make it," Tatsuki said.

"Me too," Orihime said.

"Same with me and Keigo," Mizuiro said.

"Hey! I can speak for myself. What if I have a date with a hot college student?" Keigo asked.

Everyone looked at him with a "yeah right" expression.

"You guys are mean," Keigo mumbled.

"I can make it as well, but what is this about?" Uryu asked.

"I rather not say anything now," Ichigo said.

Before his friends could ask anymore questions. The lunch bell rang. Ichigo swiftly walked back inside, leaving his friends wondering what was wrong.

**Author's Note: **I hope you enjoyed this chapter ^_^

Sayonara!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own _Bleach _ and all works belong to Mr. Kubo Tite.

Note: _Hello_- Thoughts. All of OC's belong to me.

* * *

><p><strong>7:18 p.m., Karakura Town <strong>

Rukia was occupied in the killing of a hollow. It had appeared before she could get to the theatre, along with the need to assist Orihime, Chad, and Uryu earlier.

Rukia cleansed the hollow and performed konso on a spirit. Afterwards, Rukia found Ichigo assured his safety as he walked home. Rukia did not stop at the Urahara Shoten because she had to get back to Soul Society because Ukitake-taicho was feeling ill.

* * *

><p><strong>8:32 p.m., Kurosaki Residence<strong>

The rehearsal for the play had been stressful and tedious. The stressful part reciting the Elizabethan lines, and the tedious part listening to the director complain about late cues and talkative cast members backstage. Ichigo was currently sitting at his desk doing homework, munching on some sweet bread that Orihime had bought over to his house earlier while he was out.

_Orihime is nice, but she is like another sister to me. I wish there was a way I could tell her without hurting her feelings. _

Ichigo had always been aware of Orihime's feelings for him, Ichigo could just not return them. He knew that part of Uryu's hatred towards him came from the fact that Orihime had a crush on him. Ichigo needed to figure the right time to speak to Orihime. It would be unhealthy for the both of them if Ichigo just kept letting Orihime thinking that they had a future together. On the other hand, Tatsuki would kill him if he made Orihime cry, and he did not want to die bye Tatsuki's hands.

Ichigo ignored the depressing thoughts and decided to focus on telling his dad and his friends about Ginjo. He was not going to blindly walk into Ginjo's trap. He would be an ignorant fool to do such a thing.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Update 01/03/13. Wow I had way too much Shakespeare in this one, so now it is a ridiculously short chapter.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own _Bleach _ and all works belong to Mr. Kubo Tite.

Note: _Hello_- Thoughts.

* * *

><p><strong>Saturday, 11:25 p.m., Kurosaki Residence<strong>

Ichigo was currently sitting on the couch in the living room, calmly reading the newspaper as he waiting for his father to take his lunch break from the clinic. His father spent his Saturdays doing paperwork.

Ichigo gave Yuzu and Karin money so they could spend time with their friends at the movie theater and mall. They almost dragged him along with them, but he told them that he and his friends had to work on a group project.

Ichigo heard his father's footsteps coming towards the kitchen.

Isshin walked into the living room, noticing his son waiting for him on the couch.

"My son, why are you in here reading the newspaper when you could be outside enjoying the sunshine and hot babes?" Isshin joked with a goofy smile on his face.

Ichigo rolled his eyes at his dad's crazy statement.

"I need to talk to you dad. It's about a man named Ginjo Kugo, have you ever heard of him?" Ichigo asked, hoping that his father heard of this man.

At the mention of Ginjo Kugo, Isshin's happy expression vanished.

Isshin sighed and went to sit on the other side of the couch.

"Yes, I knew who he was. Has he contacted you?" Isshin asked worried.

"Yes. He came to my job," Ichigo said.

No matter how many times Ichigo saw Isshin's serious side, it always made him wonder if his life would be different if he was raised with a more serious father.

"There are things that I cannot tell you about Ginjo for various reasons, but Ichigo you must promise me that you will stay away from that man. He is dangerous. He may also have friends who are just as dangerous as he is," Isshin said.

"Don't worry dad, there is no way I am getting near that guy. My friends are coming over in a few minutes, I plan going to tell them about Ginjo, so that they can be on their guard," Ichigo said.

"Good. You should also warn your friends that under no circumstances, should they be out during the night. Have the shinigami who is protecting the town take care of the hollows at night. If your friends have jobs afterschool or if they have any other afterschool activities, tell them that they should get home before sunset. They are easy prey at night, because at night no one would be around to hear them or help them," Isshin said.

"Where the hell are the police in this town?" Ichigo asked sarcastically.

Isshin snorted at Ichigo's comment.

"By the way, I will make sure that Yuzu and Karin are safe when they go to and from school," Isshin said.

"You think that Ginjo would go after Yuzu and Karin?" Ichigo asked concerned.

"Oh I have no doubt, whatsoever, that he would do anything in his power to get what they want," Isshin said in an ominous tone.

That tone sent shivers up Ichigo's spine.

…_On second thought, I'm okay with my dad being a ridiculously old goofball. _

"Thank you son for confiding in me," Isshin said.

"Well there has to be somebody around here who will not keep secrets," Ichigo said.

Isshin looked at his son and thought about how much he has grown.

"I am going to grab some lunch and head back to my office to finish some paper work," Isshin said.

He stood up and walked out of the living room with a smile on his face, but Ichigo he could tell that behind that smile was worry about his family's safety.

* * *

><p>About twenty minutes later, Ichigo's friends arrived at his house. They were hanging out in his room. Orihime and Tatsuki sat on his bed, Ichigo sat in the desk chair, Chad sat on his floor, and Uryu leaned against the wall.<p>

"Alright, I wanted to tell you about this man named Ginjo Kujo. He came to my job and he seems to know about my dad and me. I don't trust this man and I, as well my dad, believe this man to be dangerous. I don't know what he wants from me but he gave me this card in hopes that I will contact him," Ichigo said. He passed the card around.

"He may also be working with accomplices, but we do not know that for sure. My dad also wanted me to tell you guys to not walk on the streets at night because you guys will be more vulnerable. You should avoid night shifts from now on," Ichigo finished.

"We'll be on the lookout. I'm definitely going to change my shift at work," Tatsuki said.

"Me too," Orihime said.

"Oh yeah, this warning is specifically for Orihime, Uryu, and Chad. Do not kill hollows at night. Have Afro-san take care of the hollows at night," Ichigo said.

"Really? We have to leave it up to _that _guy?" Uryu asked in annoyance.

"Yes. He may be, how should I put it, a little slow, but he is efficient," Ichigo assured.

The three powered human beings agreed with Ichigo.

Tatsuki, Keigo, and Mizuiro looked at each other with concern.

The room was filled with awkward silence.

No one has talked about hollows or anything spiritually related since Ichigo lost his powers seventeen months ago.

"Thanks for telling us Ichigo," Tatsuki said sincerely. Keigo and Mizuiro also looked at Ichigo with appreciation. They were the ones who were always left out whenever he, Chad, Uryu, and Orihime had to deal with the supernatural. Now, since the Winter War, they can see hollows, but they do not have the power to fight the hollows.

"No problem," Ichigo said.

Ichigo knew how they felt. He knew what it felt like to be powerless way before he had even acquired, and lost, his shinigami powers.

"Do you miss being a shinigami?" Mizuiro asked.

His friends looked at him, anticipating his answer, so that they could find a way to help him cope.

Ichigo closed his eyes and sighed.

"To be honest, no, but I do miss helping others. I've seen, and experienced too much for someone my age, and you guys have as well. I wouldn't mind becoming a shinigami, and a proper one at that, after I die. But right now, I just want to live my normal, human life," Ichigo said.

"So, if a certain short shinigami just popped up in your room, you wouldn't want to become a shinigami again," Keigo asked.

Tatsuki threw Keigo a threatening look, trying to make him understand just how fragile that subject was, but he ignored it. Ichigo knew exactly whom Keigo was talking about. But, he knew he couldn't honestly answer the question with himself without giving up his resolve for being human.

"You mean, Toushirou? Why would Toushirou influence whether or not I want to become a shinigami again?" Ichigo asked obliviously.

_'Nice save, Ichigo' _Uryu thought.

His friends knew that Ichigo had missed Rukia. Orihime, on the other hand, could not understand why Ichigo was attracted to Rukia, other than the fact that Rukia made Ichigo's resolve stronger. However, Rukia was no longer a factor in Ichigo's life and she has the opportunity to tell Ichigo how she really feels.

_'Maybe Ichigo and finally tell him that I have feelings for him. Maybe he will realize that I am a great person and he will want to be with me' _Orihime thought.

After hanging out for a while longer, Ichigo's friends left, except for Orihime.

"I-Ichigo, I-I was wondering if I could talk to you," Orihime stuttered.

_'Oh…so we're going talk now?' _Ichigo thought, dreading the imminent conversation.

"I-I wanted to tell you that-that… I like you. I've liked you for awhile now, and I-I was wondering if you like me too?" Orihime asked.

"Orihime. You're a nice girl and my best friend, but I think of you as another sister," Ichigo said in the most gentle tone that he could muster.

"O-oh. I see…" Orihime said looking down at her feet.

Ichigo looked at Orihime with a worried look on his face, hoping that she would not cry.

"Well, I guess I will see you on Monday then," Orihime said.

"Uh, yeah. I'll see you on Monday," Ichigo said.

Surprisingly, Orihime was emotionally strong enough to give Ichigo a big smile. She walked to the door of his room, paused, and turned around.

"I hope that you get to be with the person you are meant to be with," Orihime said. Her eyes were in Ichigo's direction, but they were focusing on the window. Her eyes then went back to Ichigo.

As Orihime walked out of the room and went down the stairs, tears were coming out of her eyes. She was a little disappointed, but she was relieved that she finally got to confess her feelings to Ichigo.

_'There is no denying that Rukia and Ichigo are destined for each other. It would be selfish of me to deny the strong bond that they have' _Orihime thought.

Rukia was sitting on Ichigo's windowsill. She heard every word Ichigo and Orihime said. Ichigo's friends had told her on Friday that Ichigo needed to tell them something important, so she figured that she should "visit" him and listen to what he had to say, so she could report back to the captains. However, she did not expect Orihime to look at her and covertly say that she should be with Ichigo. Deep down, she hoped that she could confess her feelings to Ichigo, and that he would do the same for her.

Unfortunately, she lived in the harsh world of reality, where she knew the chances of being reunited with Ichigo were slim to none. Ichigo was still alive and he could not wait for her for the rest of his life. There was also the matter of Renji's feelings to her, which could not reciprocate. He would probably hate both her and Ichigo and never talk to them again if ever they became an item. As for Byakuya, he would also slaughter Ichigo without hesitation.

_'Why does life have to be so complicated?' _Rukia thought.

_'Because, Rukia, love is a challenge. It makes you have to face other challenges in your life, like acceptance from friends and family, and sacrificing time_' Sode no Shirayuki entered her thoughts_. _

Rukia sighed and looked at Ichigo. She wished that she could talk to him, tell him what was on her mind, like how it used to be. He was sitting at his desk with his head in his hands. She could go to Urahara's and get a gigai, but specific orders prohibited her from interfering in Ichigo's life, so she ruled out that idea. The only thing she could do right now was observe. However, Rukia decided to go home and block out her feelings with mindless paperwork.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Sayonara! ^_^


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own _Bleach _ and all works belong to Mr. Kubo Tite.

Note: _Hello_- Thoughts.

* * *

><p><strong>Sunday, 4:24 p.m., Kurosaki Residence<strong>

Ichigo was sitting at his desk reviewing his lines.

The ringing of his cellphone broke his concentration.

"Hello," he answered when he flipped open his phone.

Ichigo listened to the person at the other end of the line and hung up. He grabbed his keys, wallet, and his phone, all of which he shoved in the pockets of his jeans. He ran downstairs.

Yuzu and Karin were sitting at the kitchen table and talking. Their conversation stopped when they noticed their brother rushing downstairs.

"Ichigo, what's wrong?" Yuzu asked.

"Uryu is in the hospital," Ichigo quickly said as he put on his shoes.

Ichigo said bye to his sisters and then he rushed to the hospital.

* * *

><p><strong>5:40 p.m., Karakura Hospital<strong>

When Ichigo arrived at the hospital, Uryu sitting in bed talking to Orihime. Ryuken, Ishida's father and the hospital's director, had placed his in a private wing of the hospital. He was by his son's bedside listening to the conversation.

"What happened?" Ichigo asked as he walked up to them.

"I was attacked as I walking home. The person who attacked me was moving unnaturally fast, but I was able to get a good look at his face. The guy only got my shoulder. If he stabbed me in my stomach, I could have been on my deathbed right now. We are not even safe during the day now," Uryu said frustrated.

"I analyzed the reiatsu that the attacker left in Uryu's wound. It is neither of a shinigami nor hollow. It is definitely not of a Quincy's either. It is impossible for me to decipher the reiatsu," Ryuken said.

"Hm. Do you think it could be from a human who has supernatural powers like Orihime or Chad?" Ichigo asked.

"I never even thought about that. What made you think of that?" Ryuken asked.

"Well I figured that there had to be other humans who had been exposed to large amounts of shinigami reiatsu at some points of their lives. This person who attacked you could even be Ginjo or Tsukishima," Ichigo said.

"That is a possibility. If I was shown a picture of him, then I could definitely point him out. We'll just have to be extremely cautious," Uryu said.

"Did you let the others know?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes, I already called them," Orihime said.

Ichigo was relieved that Orihime was speaking him. He thought that their friendship was over.

"Good. I should get going before my dad freaks out at me for getting home late. Bye everyone. Get better Uryu," Ichigo said.

"Wait, Kurosaki, I can drive you home. It is not safe out there, especially for you. I can also take you home, Orihime," Ryuken said.

"Oh, thank you Ishida-sensei. I appreciate your generosity," Ichigo said.

"Me too. Thank you very much, Ishida-sensei," Orihime said smiling.

* * *

><p><strong>Thursday, 11:30 a.m., Rooftop of Karakura Academy<strong>

Ichigo had been waiting to talk to his father since Sunday, but his father was either busy in the clinic or he was out of the house. He had started to wonder if Ginjo was still waiting for his call.

_'Ginjo must think that I am really desperate for answers if he thinks that I am going to call him' _Ichigo thought.

He walked towards his group of friends, who did not notice his presence.

"Hey guys" Ichigo said, scaring his friends.

"Ichigo! Don't sneak up on us like that," Keigo said.

"Sorry. Hey, has anyone seen or talked to Chad. He hasn't been answering his door or phone and I checked since Monday," Ichigo said.

"No. He must be really sick if he did not answer his phone or his door," Tatsuki said.

"I'll go over his house today to check if he is there. I'll even bust his door down if I have to. If he's this sick then he should be in the hospital," Ichigo said.

"Do you think that he was attacked?" Orihime asked.

Ichigo and his friends glanced at each other with equal concern.

"Unfortunately, that could be a possibility," Uryu said.

There was a silent pause.

Ichigo looked at his friends' alert expressions.

_'There must be a hollow_' Ichigo thought.

Uryu and Orihime got up, but the others' expressions quickly turned into looks of relief, signifying the defeat of the hollow. Uryu and Orihime sat back down.

"It looks like Afro-san is doing a good job," Ichigo commented.

His friends looked at him.

"I noticed your expressions, and you two were about to run off," Ichigo pointed to Uryu and Orihime as he explained how he knew about the hollow.

"Oh," Keigo said.

As Ichigo rolled his eyes at Keigo, he noticed that he had a melon juice box from his normal grape or apple juice. He did not particularly care for melon juice, but it was Rukia's favorite. He took the straw, poked it in the box, and savored every drop of the melon-flavored juice.

* * *

><p><strong>4:35 p.m., Urahara Shoten<strong>

Ichigo stopped in front of the out of place and old shop. He walked in and found Jinta picking on Ururu, as usual.

"Oi gnome, hasn't anyone told you that when you keep picking on a girl it means that you like her? And you always pick on her so that means you must _really_ like her," Ichigo taunted in a matter-of-fact tone.

Jinta jumped away from Ururu in alert.

"Gross! I don't like _her_," Jinta said disgusted, missing the fact that Ichigo called him a gnome.

"Then I suggest that you stop picking on her if you don't want people to think that you like her," Ichigo said.

"I gotta go clean the back," Jinta mumbled before running to the back of the shop.

Ichigo smirked.

"Thank you Kurosaki-san," Ururu said bowing.

"It was nothing. Please call me Ichigo," he said.

Ururu nodded her head and went back to her duties.

Urahara came from the back of the shop.

"Kurosaki-kun! It's been a while. How are you?" he asked in a cheerful voice.

"Fine, I guess. I need your help with something," Ichigo said.

"Okay, let's go to the back and talk," Urahara said.

Ichigo followed Urahara back to one of the many rooms.

They sat down while Tessai poured them tea. Yoruichi, in cat form, appeared to be sleeping on a cushion under the table.

"So, what do you need help in?" Urahara asked.

"Well, you are going to think that I am crazy, but here it goes. I want to go see what this Xcution is and find out what Ginjo wants. I assume that my dad told you about the card that Ginjo gave me," Ichigo said.

"Yes, he did. So you want to do a sting?" Urahara said.

"Exactly. I don't want to go to him and walk blindly into a trap. I need other eyes and ears," Ichigo said.

"Well, I'm glad that you came to me instead of going to that place on your own. I will provide you with the correct equipment needed for such an operation. Your location and conversations will be monitored, is that okay?" Urahara asked.

"Yes, but I don't have to wear it all of the time right?" Ichigo asked.

"No, you can take off and shutdown the equipment when you are done," Urahara said.

"Good," Ichigo said relieved.

Urahara knew that Ichigo did not want anyone finding about his secret talent.

"Tonight, I'll call the number," Ichigo said.

"Okay. When you're ready just stop by and I'll give you the equipment," Urahara said.

"Okay. Thanks Urahara-san," Ichigo said.

"It's no problem Ichigo," Urahara said.

Urahara walked Ichigo to the front of the shop. Yoruichi was trailing behind them.

Ichigo walked out of the shop.

"Can you make sure he gets home safe?" Urahara asked Yoruichi.

"Sure," she said in her deep, masculine voice.

Yoruichi silently followed Ichigo home and made sure that he got home safe.

* * *

><p><strong>8:20 p.m., Kurosaki Residence<strong>

Ichigo was sitting at his desk practicing his lines. There was a knock at his door. He took the script and put in the drawer.

"Come in," he said.

Isshin came in the room.

"Hey son," he said.

"Hey, dad. What's up?" he asked.

Ichigo could tell that his father was in 'serious mode' from his expression.

Isshin went to sit down on Ichigo's bed.

"Son, I did not tell you the entire truth about Ginjo," Isshin began.

"Oh no, please don't tell me he wants to take over the world and become its ruler?" Ichigo asked.

"No, no, nothing like that. Ginjo…" Isshin trailed off. "Was the first substitute shinigami," Isshin finished.

"The first shinigami substitute? I didn't even think about there being another substitute shinigami before me," Ichigo said with surprise in his voice.

"Yeah, but the Gotei 13 is not proud of what happened," Isshin said.

"What do you mean? Did Ginjo betray them…?" Ichigo asked.

"No. He left his position. Let's just say he did not approve of their methods," Isshin said.

"Did you talk to Urahara-san?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes, he told me. I think it's a good plan, Ichigo. A much better plan than just going to that guy without any backup," Isshin said.

"Back then, I would have. I never thought things out, especially with my past battles. If only I had the discipline back then, I wouldn't have caused all the pain and suffering to the ones who I was trying to protect," Ichigo said.

"Ichigo, you were only a teenager and you were facing situations no teenager should have gone through. Heck, you still are a teenager. If I had been in your position, I would have been just as headstrong as you. Your dedication to helping others and going all of the way paid off in the end," Isshin said.

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked.

"Because of all of your sacrifices, people can trust you, therefore, you will always have people who will be there for you," Isshin said.

"Ichigo, do you miss being a shinigami?" Isshin asked.

"I am happy living my life as a human, but it is hard for me to ignore the things that I know exist in this world. Having my powers back would mean that I could still protect the town and those who are I care about from danger and evil," Ichigo said.

"And you would get to see a certain raven-haired shinigami again" Isshin said smiling.

"Don't you have paperwork to do?" Ichigo asked, wanting to get the off the upcoming topic.

"Do you want to see Rukia again?" Isshin asked seriously.

"Yes, but I know that I will never see her again," Ichigo frowned at the thought.

"Why do you say that?" Isshin asked.

"Because I'm human and mortal, and she is dead and semi-immortal," Ichigo said.

"Ah, son. You have so much to learn about love. " Isshin said.

"Who said anything about love!" Ichigo said angrily, yet you could see the blush creeping on his cheeks.

"What do you think your mother and I went through?" Isshin asked.

"How did you two get beyond the who living/dead and age gap thing?" Ichigo asked, calming down after he heard his father mention his mother.

"We looked beyond those petty factors and just looked at our hearts, because when it comes down to it, love outlasts everything, including age and death," Isshin said.

Ichigo took in his father's words. He felt like he was finally bonding with his dad.

"Well, goodnight son," Isshin said as he got up from the bed.

As Isshin walked past his son, he lifted his left leg swung it back, trying to kick Ichigo in the head.

Ichigo's reflexes kicked in and he caught his father's leg and he proceeded to flip him over on his back.

"Your reflexes are still as sharp as ever, my son," he said groaning.

"You just ruined a perfectly good moment, old man. Now get out of my room," Ichigo said aggravated.

Defeated, Isshin walked out of his room, though he had a big smile on his face.

_'I'm just a few years away from having grandchildren' _Isshin squealed inwardly.

Ichigo felt the sudden urge to punch his dad in his face.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Hey everyone! It's been forever, but please bear with me. I hope that I can put more action in the upcoming chapters. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. ^_^


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own _Bleach_ and all works belong to Mr. Kubo Tite.

Note: _Hello_- Thoughts.

* * *

><p><strong>8:45 p.m., Urahara Shoten<strong>

"I've just finished modifying the surveillance equipment," Urahara beamed, walking into the room with a large brown box.

He placed it down on the table as he sat down.

"Thanks Urahara-san," Ichigo said.

"I will explain what the contents of the box. You have one earpiece that you can place in either ear. You will be able to hear Yoruichi or me so we can warn you if we suspect something. Either she or I will be able to turn on or turn off the earpiece. Next, you have a watch that will record everything that you say and hear. The red button turns it on and the blue button turns it off. Then, you have a pendant that will visually record what you see. Twist the pendant to the right to turn in on and turn it left to turn it off. I originally created sunglasses for you to wear, but that would have been to cliché, and not to mention, obvious. Any questions, comments…concerns?" Urahara asked.

"I don't have to say a stupid phrase, do I?" Ichigo remembered to ask; referring to the last time he dared use Urahara's equipment.

"No. You don't have to say a word. This is a covert operation," Urahara assured.

"Well, knowing you, one can't be too cautious," Ichigo bluntly told him.

Urahara fanned his face, hiding it so his smile would not be visible. "Aw, Kurosaki-kun! You make it seem as if I would intentionally embarrass you."

"Don't give me that. I have past experience proving that you _like_ to make these types of things into jokes," Ichigo voiced his thoughts.

"See, you have no sense of humor. You definitely have no talent for comedy, either! You need to lighten up some Kurosaki-kun," Urahara gleamed.

Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Thanks Urahara-san," Ichigo said standing up from the table.

"Anytime Ichigo! Be safe getting home," Urahara said standing up as well.

"I will," Ichigo said as he walked out of the room on his way out of the shop.

Yoruichi stealthily trailed Ichigo and made sure he got home safely.

* * *

><p><strong>10:05 p.m., Kurosaki Residence<strong>

Ichigo arrived home and quietly made his way to his room. He went to his desk and pulled out the Xcution card from the drawer.

He dialed the number on his cellphone.

A robotic, feminine voice spoke on the other line:

"_Hello. You have reached Xcution. Please state your name_."

"Kurosaki Ichigo," he said.

"_We are aware of who you are. Welcome to Xcution. Please dial 001 to connect with Ginjo_," she said.

Ichigo pressed the said numbers.

"_Please state who you are trying to contact_," the voice requested.

"You're joking, right?" Ichigo asked.

"_No_," the voice stated seriously.

"I would like to speak with Ginjo Kujo," Ichigo said.

"_Please wait while I connect you_," the woman said.

Before Ichigo could object, the woman got off the line and elevator music started playing. After a good ten minutes waiting, Ginjo was finally on the other end.

"That was a pain," Ichigo said out of annoyance.

"Sorry, but that is how the system works," Ginjo said.

"I want to speak with you, face to face," Ichigo said.

Ginjo wasted no time with asking important questions, like why Ichigo wanted to see him. He agreed and gave Ichigo the directions to the location where they were to meet at eight 'o' clock p.m.

After Ichigo got off the phone, he decided to go over some tactical plans in his head before he went to bed.

* * *

><p><strong>Saturday, 9:54 p.m., Naruki City<strong>

Ichigo was very late and had to haul tail to the meeting place. Kojimi-sensei wanted the cast to finish act three, scene one. They had to take occasional breaks and they had to reshoot when someone forgot or messed up his or her line. Ichigo, who performed one of the plays many soliloquys today, tried hard not to make a mistake, but he had to redo the entire soliloquy because he mispronounced the word "hitherto" as hither_toe_. It was not even the famous 'To be or not to be' soliloquy, which he couldn't wait to do, so he did not even think he mistake was a big deal.

Ichigo put on his earpiece, watch, and pendant. He arrived at the location, which appeared to be a dilapidated apartment.

Ichigo went upstairs and arrived at the door where Ginjo's meeting place was located. He knocked on the door and it opened revealing a young woman in a maid's uniform.

"Hello, I'm Ich-."

"Ichigo Kurosaki," the woman squealed. She stepped aside to let Ichigo get through the door. She eyed him as he passed her, and her face began to blush.

Ichigo looked around the surprisingly large room. There was fully stocked bar and an older gentleman standing behind the counter. The bartender was carefully cleaning a wine glass, noting the woman who opened the door as she sat at the bar with her head leaning on her hand. There was a boy who was also sitting at the bar, intently playing his video game console. Another woman was sitting at the bar stirring her drink with a straw.

"You're late. I was waiting for you outside. How did you even find the right door?" Ginjo asked.

"I followed the strong scent of ramen," Ichigo said sarcastically.

"Let's skip the pleasantries. What do you want to talk about?" he asked.

"My friend was attacked by someone or something and I want your help. Heck, you know about my father and Urahara-san, so I figure that you can't just be a plain old human," Ichigo said.

"Did you just call me old?" Ginjo questioned, ignoring his other statements.

"Look, I don't trust you, since I don't even know you, but I figured that you would be willing and able to help," Ichigo said.

"Well that does not surprise me, considering that you have no one to turn to or to give you the information that you seek," he said.

_'Again with the mind games. Is this guy an Aizen wannabe or what?'_

"I only mention your father to get you interested. The people over there at the bar are member of Xcution. Our goal is to help you restore your shinigami powers," he said.

'_Yup. He's a troll with an insatiable thirst for power who wants to regain my pwers just so that he can steal them for himself. I mean come on, no one wants to give something back to someone unless they want something in return, and what they want is not good.'_

"And just how are you planning to restore my powers. Are you all shinigami?" Ichigo asked.

"No, we are Fullbringers. Sit down, there is a lot to explain," Ginjo said.

Ichigo went to sit down on the couch across from Ginjo.

Ginjo began to explain that Fullbringers were humans that had special powers unique on to themselves, then he went on to complexly explain that every living and non-living thing had a soul. He demonstrated this notion by having a glass of orange juice placed in front of him. The orange juice defied gravity by going into his mouth from the glass.

_'Okay, that was pretty cool...'_

Then after some more talking Ginjo did a demonstration with his pendant that turned into a large sword. Ichigo was, for a second time, impressed. Ginjo finally said that these abilities bore the name 'Fullbring'.

"Riruka, go get him," Ginjo ordered the girl with the odd rabbit-eared hat.

"Geez, at least you can say please," she said as she stormed off.

Riruka came back with Chad. Ichigo's and Chad's eyes widened, shocked at the others presence.

"Chad? What the hell? Why are you here? We thought you were sick! Is this why are you skipping school?" Ichigo shouted.

"Ichigo, calm down," he said.

"No! You need to tell me what is going on here!" Ichigo demanded.

"Why don't you and Chad sit down and I will explain," Ginjo said.

Chad and Ichigo sat down on the couch.

"Ichigo, do you know why hollows have holes on their chests?" Ginjo asked.

"No," Ichigo said. Rukia had explained the origin of hollows, so he actually knew the answer.

Ginjo went to into the explanation of the hollow's mask being their heart and that the Fullbringers had parents who were attacked by hollows. Then he went on to explain that the mothers had passed on some of the hollow's powers to their children, and that the group shared a hate for their powers. He also mentioned that since Ichigo was both human and shinigami, they would be able to transfer their powers to him.

Ichigo was trying so hard not to roll his eyes while Ginjo was speaking. He just wanted to get up and drag Chad out of the building and never look back.

"We found Sado, or Chad as you prefer, and he said he would like to join the cause of restoring your shinigami powers," Ginjo said.

"Is this true Chad?" Ichigo asked.

_'Chad has always been able to tell me stuff, even when I was going through my depressed stage of losing my powers. Why would he hide something as big as this from me now?'_

"Yes. Ever since you lost your shinigami powers, you have not been yourself. You went around hiding because you miss having your powers to protect people," Chad said.

"We will help you restore your powers and you will get to be a shinigami again," Ginjo said.

"Fine. I'll help you guys," Ichigo said.

"Perfect," Ginjo said.

_**"Ichigo, this is Urahara. Please try to bring Chad back to my shop."**_

"Okay, it's getting pretty late. Chad, are you on your way home?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes," he said.

"Then let's go," Ichigo said.

Ichigo led the way and Chad followed behind him.

"Hey, do you mind if we stop by Urahara's? He has a package for my dad that I have to get," Ichigo said.

The extremely tall and muscular teenager nodded his head. Ichigo and Chad arrived at the Urahara Shoten.

"Urahara," Ichigo called as he entered the store.

Ichigo heard a heard thump and he spun around to see Urahara holding his cane, standing over a fallen and unconscious Chad.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Updated 01/05013. I apologize for cliffhanger. Since Urahara and Yoruichi are informed about Ichigo's "training" with the Fullbringers, they have the potential to notice certain things that Ichigo did not notice in the manga. This will hopefully help make the story more interesting, so there will be some differences. Bye. ^_^


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own _Bleach_ and all works belong to Mr. Kubo Tite.

Note: _Hello_- Thoughts.

**Recap: **Ichigo is spying on the Xcution with help from Urahara and Yoruichi. He does not buy Ginjo's talk of giving him back his powers, so he is pretending to go along with it to see what Ginjo and the other members are up to.

**A.N.: Yeah, so I changed my mind. The story is here to stay. However, I will be editing the past chapters, mostly getting rid of the Shakespeare scenes and such. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Sunday, 12:28 a.m., Urahara Shoten<strong>

Ichigo heard a thud, and spun around to see Urahara holding his cane, standing over a fallen and unconscious Chad.

"Urahara-san, was it really necessary to knockout Chad?" he asked.

"Yes it was. There is something very wrong with that Xcution group. I will need to run tests on Chad. If they have power that can manipulate people, I can only guess that they did something to influence Chad to join their group," Urahara said.

"I was thinking something like that as well. Chad isn't much of a talker, but we can tell each other almost anything. We have a strong level of trust, and for him to not only to lie to me, but to everyone else who trusts him, is just out of place," Ichigo commented.

"You should go home, it's way past your curfew. We can talk tomorrow. I'll give you call," Urahara said.

"Okay. See you then," Ichigo said. He glanced back at his unconscious friend and walked out of the shop. He turned off his pendant and watch, and took out his earpiece. Yoruichi made sure he made it home safely.

Urahara sighed as he lifted the large teenager and carried him to the back like he was a sack of sugar.

* * *

><p><strong>9:30 p.m., Soul Society, Captain's Meeting<strong>

A film projector was facing the right wall of the room. An image of Urahara was projected on the screen. He was explaining to the Captain Commander and Captains about Ichigo's mission. Urahara would broadcast Ichigo's transmissions to Soul Society for their examination.

The thirteen captains and the Captain Commander were in the meeting room. The captains were two formed lines and the Captain Commander was sitting waiting for Ichigo's infiltration to begin.

The projection went fuzzy then it showed a clear image in a first person view of someone, Ichigo, walking to a dilapidated apartment. The Captain heard Ichigo introduce himself, but saw a woman wearing a hat with bunny ears interrupt him.

They took note of the location and other people as Ichigo scanned the room.

_**"You're late. I was waiting for you outside. How did you even find the right door?" Ginjo asked.**_

A number of Captains immediately remembered old feelings of disgust when they saw Ginjo.

_**"I followed the strong scent of ramen," Ichigo said sarcastically.**_

The Captains could immediately tell that Ichigo did not trust this man at all. While they watched the conversation, they were trying to figure out what Ginjo wanted with Ichigo.

_**"I only mentioned your father to get you interested. The people over there at the bar are members of Xcution. Our goal is to help you restore your shinigami powers," he said.**_

Some Captains glared at the screen, while the others made noises.

_**"And just how are you planning to restore my powers. Are you all shinigami?" Ichigo asked.**_

_**"No, we are Fullbringers. Sit down, there is a lot to explain," Ginjo said.**_

While Ginjo was explaining Fullbring, Mayuri was happily taking down notes. They continued to watch the interactions between Ichigo and Ginjo. When Riruka brought out Ichigo's friend, Chad, they were just as surprised as Ichigo.

Even Kyouraku knew that Ichigo's best friend was highly guarded and was good at reading people. The laid back captain glanced at Ukitake, whose eyebrows were raised with concern.

The Captains listened to Ginjo explanations of hollows. Mayuri looked a bit skeptical at his explanation. Ichigo agreed to help Ginjo and his companions. Then the captains heard Urahara's voice asking Ichigo to bring Chad back to his shop.

The shinigami watched as the substitute shinigami and his friend made their way to Urahara's. Ichigo called out and a thud was heard. The camera spun around and the captains saw an unconscious Chad on the ground and Urahara with a raised cane.

_**"Urahara-san, was it really necessary to knockout Chad?" Ichigo asked.**_

A few Captains had asked the same question in their heads, while the Captain of the Second Division smirked. The captains listened to Urahara's explanation of the group's possible powers of control. The older captains exchanged short glances with each other.

Ichigo had finished speaking with Urahara, and the screen went black.

"We have much to discuss. The next meeting will commence tomorrow at 2100 sharp. Captains Unohana, Ukitake, and Kyouraku, stay behind." The Captain Commander banged his cane on the ground to dismiss the other captains.

* * *

><p><strong>Monday, 11:30 a.m., Rooftop of Karakura Academy<strong>

Ichigo and his friends were sitting in a tight circle.

"So, how did it go?" Keigo asked.

Ichigo described the event of the previous night. His friends were skeptical when they heard that the Xcution wanted to train Ichigo and get him his powers back. They were even shocked to hear that Chad had ditched school to be with a shady group of strangers.

"When I see Chad, I am going to kick his ass for being an idiot," Tatsuki said.

"Relax, Tatsuki. Chad did not join willingly, or at least that's what Urahara thinks. He believes Chad may be under the control of one of the members," Ichigo said.

"Ugh, this sucks. We can't just sit here and not do anything," Tatsuki said.

"This situation is unfortunate. Luckily for you three, they do not see you as a potential ally or threat, so as long as they keep their focus on me, you three will be safe. Unfortunately, they already attacked Uryu, they have Chad, and I am sorry to say this Orihime, but you are the next target," Ichigo said.

"It's okay. I was already aware of that possibility to begin with," Orihime said with a composed expression on her face.

"Why didn't we develop any powers, when Orihime and Chad did? The only thing we can do is see hollows, shinigami, and spirits," Tatsuki said.

"I honestly don't know. I'm honestly surprised that the entire class and sensei do not have some form of ability themselves," Ichigo said.

"Uh, actually, Ichigo, there were a few of our classmates who woke up in Fake Karakura, so there is a possibility that they can see or sense hollows. They just don't have any abilities," Uryu said.

Ichigo sighed and ran his hand through his hand.

"Don't worry, the _incident _is an inside secret of our class. Besides, you could not help it. You're half shinigami, half human. You latent abilities had been building up for years and it was too much energy for your body to hold," Uryu reassured Ichigo.

"So yeah, about you being half human and shinigami, has your dad talked to you about his past?" Tatsuki asked.

Ichigo's friends looked at him curiously.

"No. He hasn't said anything about his past. I'm almost tempted to ask Urahara or Yoruichi for information, but I doubt that they will tell me anything. It is obvious that my father's last name is not his true last name. If it were his last name, the captains would have known whom he is and that I am his relative. I'm not even sure if the Captains or Jii-san saw my father. All I know about that man is that he is captain class. He has a piece of haori tied to his shoulder with some silver badge, and he had enough power to flick Aizen through three buildings with a single finger," Ichigo said nonchalantly.

"What!?" His friends exclaimed shocked.

"Sorry, I left that part out," Ichigo said casually.

"Your father is a freaking awesome," Keigo said in awe.

"No, my father is an mysterious idiot," Ichigo said.

The group laughed.

"Wait, we got off topic. Are you going back to the Xcution for this supposed training?" Tatsuki asked.

"Of course. I have to keep up appearances. I need Ginjo and his group to believe that I trust them," Ichigo said.

"We'll be with you through the entire thing, Ichigo," Orihime said.

The group nodded their heads in agreement.

"Thanks guys," Ichigo said.

* * *

><p><strong>7:35 p.m., Naruki City, Xcution Headquarters<strong>

Ichigo was fighting in Riruka's dollhouse. He was stressed because he did not want develop a fullbring, but it seemed like the hideous pork plushy, Mr. Pork, would not stay down every time Ichigo punched or kicked him. He was having an even more difficult time because Mr. Pork went into beast mode, making him increase in strength and in grotesqueness.

Chad was standing over the dollhouse.

"Ichigo, why don't you use your substitute badge," Chad suggested.

"You read my mind," Ichigo said.

Internally, Ichigo grunted. Why did he carry that useless thing with him anyway?

Ichigo reluctantly pulled the badge from his pocket and stared at it.

"How is this going to work?" Ichigo questioned.

"Remember Ichigo: fullbring has do with your emotions. Your emotion is pride. You had more pride when you were a shinigami, so think about something that filled you up with pride and apply that to the badge," Chad said.

Ichigo did feel pride, but not all the time. He mostly felt a strong sense of responsibility. He had the "Hero Bug" and always felt guilty if any of his friends or comrades got injured.

He also felt a close bond with a short, raven-haired shinigami.

_'Rukia…'_

At the moment Ichigo thought Rukia's name, his badge started to vibrate with energy. Black tendrils of energy formed into a giant black swastika.

Suddenly, Mr. Pork came crashing to him through the wall. Ichigo stood his ground and tried to block Mr. Pork's fist with his fullbring. Luckily, it worked. Ichigo did a dance of dodging and blocking, hoping to tire out porky.

Ichigo instinctively grabs the badge with two hands and managed to swing a burst of black energy at Mr. Pork's head, causing the plushy to be thrust back by the force. The plushy collapsed with a loud thud.

Ichigo heard Ginjo and Riruka talking. Mr. Pork shivered and changed back into human.

Riruka picked up Ichigo and Mr. Pork, and she did the one of the most disgusting thing ever. She sneezed on them causing Ichigo and Mr. Pork to become normal size again. They were drenched in snot. Mr. Pork had awoken and was freaking out.

Ichigo hadn't seen this much snot since he was with Nel in Heuco Mundo. Ichigo suddenly heard a sound coming the badge that made him ignore the crawling feeling on his skin.

"…best thing for Ichigo." It was Rukia's voice.

Ichigo always had this underlying suspicion about this badge whenever it did something out of the ordinary, like not work, but he never asked Ukitake about.

"You did a good job today. You should go home and rest. Maybe even take a shower," Ginjo said smirking.

Ichigo rolled his eyes.

Ichigo left with Chad. Ichigo was still waiting on a phone call from Urahara about the test results on Chad.

"You know, Orihime has been leaving me baskets full of bread everyday," Chad said.

"That's because she is worried about you. You should give her a call," Ichigo said.

"I have too much bread. I'll give half of it too you," Chad said.

Ichigo saw Chad stop and stiffen, realizing that he had sensed reiatsu.

"Orihime!" Chad said.

Ichigo ran with Chad to Orihime's apartment. They find Orihime who is uninjured and confused.

"What happened Orihime?" Ichigo asked.

"I have a bad stomach ache," Orihime said.

"Do you need medical help?" Ichigo asked.

"No, no! I'm fine! I'll just go home, take some medicine, and go to bed. Thank you for your concern Ichigo and Chad," Orihime said.

"I'll talk to you later," Chad said.

"Okay," Orihime said. She turned from the two and went to her apartment.

"I'll make sure she is safe. You should get home, Ichigo," Chad suggested.

Ichigo did not like being brushed of like that, but he relented.

"Be careful," Ichigo said.

Ichigo turned off the surveillance equipment and walked home. He knew that Chad was hiding things, but he had a strong inclination that Orihime wasn't telling him the truth. He hoped that Orihime would call him after she calmed down.

Ichigo was going to have to see how much information he could get from Ginjo about the attacker. Whoever it was, he knew the attacker was working with Xcution.

He sighed with frustration.

_'Everything bad always seems to happen whenever I'm around. As soon as this crap is done with, I'm going to take a long vacation. Hell, maybe I should just live life as a normal human after this. Go to college, get a job, marry, have kids, and die. But I wasn't created to just be human. I was given power, a responsibility. And because of this power, others want to bring me down and trample the people who are precious to me. If I am lucky enough to actually regain my shinigami powers, I promise to protect everyone to the fullest extent of my abilities. I will not hesitate, nor will I look back.'_

* * *

><p><strong>A.N.: <strong>Whew! That was tough to write. Writer's block is a like a migraine headache. I would really appreciate some feedback, maybe even suggestions on how to make the storyline more interesting. Bye! \{^o^}/

-Linx


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own _Bleach_ and it belongs to Mr. Kubo Tite.

Note: _Hello_- Thoughts.

**Recap: **Ichigo is spying on the Xcution with help from Urahara and Yoruichi. He is not giving into Ginjo's talk of giving him back his powers, so he is pretending to go along with it to see what Ginjo and the Xcution.

* * *

><p><strong>7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Naruki City, Xcution Headquarters<strong>

"Ginjo, before I start training, I wanted to talk to you about something," Ichigo said.

"What?" Ginjo asked as he sipped on a glass of beer.

"Well, lately, someone's been attacking my friends. I was wondering if you knew about these attacks and who might be involved?" Ichigo asked.

Ginjo sighed, putting his glass down on the table in front of him.

"The attacker's name is Tsukishima. He's a Fullbringer and was a former member of Xcution," Ginjo started. "More than that, he used to be the leader of Xcution, and he even came up with the idea to give their powers to a _substitute_ shinigami. However, when a group of members did that, Tsukishima killed the members and the shinigami. He disappeared after that incident. We don't know what he's after, but it's clear that he wants to distract you so you're not around us. Just be on the lookout."

"Don't worry, I will be," Ichigo said, who had noticed that Ginjo said substitute, implying that he was not the first and only substitute shinigami.

"Good," Ginjo smiled, "This time, you'll be training with Jackie," Ginjo said.

Riruka entered the room.

"The training will take place in this fish tank," Riruka stated.

_'Oh great.'_

"Well, it's either now or never," Ichigo commented.

Riruka raised an eyebrow. But without further question, she shrunk Ichigo into the shallow tank, filled with mud and sand, and he wasn't alone.

"My name is Jackie Tristan. My Fullbring is called Dirty Boots," she introduced.

Ichigo observed the curvaceous woman with brown skin, expecting her to attack.

Jackie crossed her arms and scoffed. "Are you going to attack me, or just stare at me all day?"

"I'm waiting for you to activate your Fullbring," Ichigo said.

"If this were a real battle would you still observe me instead of attacking first?" she asked.

"Of course. Experience has taught me that rushing head first into a battle is not always the wisest thing to do," Ichigo said.

"Well fine. I'll attack first," Jackie ran towards Ichigo, swinging her fist at his face. Ichigo blocked the punch with his arms, pushing him back from the impact. Jackie smirked at this. She performed a roundhouse kick, but it wasn't enough. Ichigo blocked her leg with his arms, showing him that he needed to get serious. He activated his fullbring, swinging a black arc of energy flying at her. She gracefully dodged the burst of power by flipping over him. With another attempt, swung another arc. He watched as his attack hurled at the woman. His eyes widened as she sent it flying in farther back. His shirt's sleeve was smoking. He noticed that his flange as weakening every time he used it, and that Jackie's kick would get stronger each time.

He decided to change tactics.

"The name _Dirty Boots_ refers to my Fullbring. Every time my boots get dirty, the more powerful my kicks become," she said.

"I've noticed," Ichigo commented.

Jackie and Ichigo exchanged a few more blows. Ichigo was having a tough time withstanding the powerful force of her kicks.

They both stopped to catch their breaths.

Suddenly, Ichigo's arms began to prickle. Black energy quickly spread from his arm and engulfed his entire body.

In an instant, Ichigo and Jackie were ejected from the fish tank.

Ichigo looks down at his form, noticing he wasn't in the same clothes he had when he entered the tank. His clothes transformed into a black body suit, pressed even tighter to his body by a white, shell-like armor that thickened with reiatsu, a thin strip of it crossing the border of his nose. He felt something on his back, feeling the power of his sword back once again. He moved his finders, feeling how easy the armor made it for him to move his joints.

_'The hell is this?'_ he thought as he looked at his new "uniform" incredulously.

Ginjo and Riruka look at Ichigo with surprise. Chad, who had just arrived, was also shocked to see Ichigo's upgraded Fullbring.

Ichigo breathed deeply and tired to calm down. He closes his eyes. The black energy receded showing his original clothes.

"Hm. You are progressing faster than I thought. I think that is enough for tonight. We'll pick up with your training on Thursday," Ginjo said.

"Fine," Ichigo said. He looked at Chad.

"I just arrived. I am going to do some training on my own," Chad said.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then," Ichigo said.

As Ichigo walked out of the building, the feeling of uselessness crept up again. He wished Chad would train with him. He was not as strong as he had originally been, but he could still put up a good fight and challenge Chad's strength with his agility. He still wondered why would Chad trust the Fullbringers than him.

* * *

><p><strong>9:45 pm, Urahara Shoten<strong>

Ichigo was sitting across the table from Urahara, who was calmly sipping tea. Urahara had called him after his training.

"What took you so long?" Ichigo asked.

"I had…other important matters to attend to," Urahara said.

"Important matters? Are you and Yoruichi-san planning to have a baby?" Ichigo asked innocently, with the corners of his mouth slightly upturned.

"NO! N-no, n-no, no!" Urahara spluttered, his cheeks burning red. He was not prepared for that.

"Right. So what are the results?" Ichigo asked casually, as he gave himself a mental pat on the back.

Urahara cleared his throat, furiously fanning himself.

Yoruichi in her cat form, was listening from outside the room, rolling around on the floor shaking with laughter.

'I never knew he had a sense of humor.' Yoruichi thought.

"Well, the result turned out negative, so far. I still have my underlying suspicions though. Have you noticed anything unusual of late with the others?" Urahara asked.

"Orihime's behavior was strange when Chad and I went to rescue her the other night. I believe she was attacked, but she hasn't told me anything," Ichigo said.

"Hm. I'll keep an eye on her. Now, about your Fullbring powers. They are developing unusually fast. Ginjo will probably want to train you himself to increase your powers. However, I have a feeling that it will be brutal and I do not want you to be put into unnecessary danger. This situation is going to have to be finished off quickly before things get worse," Urahara said.

"I understand. What's the plan?" Ichigo asked.

"First, you will stop going to the training sessions. Just ignore them. Ginjo will come looking for you. You just leave the rest up to us. Although, you should keep the equipment with you so I know what is going on," Urahara said.

Ichigo sighed, relieved. He had a feeling that Ginjo was more sadistic than he let on. He could not imagine what dirty tricks Ginjo would pull if he had to "train" with the man.

"Good. That will give me more time to focus on other things," Ichigo said.

"By other things, do you mean rehearsing for Hamlet?" Urahara asked, grinning mischievously.

Ichigo looked shocked, and then just shook his head.

"I don't even want to know how you found out about that," Ichigo said.

"Are you sure?" Kisuke asked, baiting.

"Yes. It's really late. I need to get home. I guess I'll see you later Urahara-san.

Ichigo stood up and stretched.

"Be careful, Kurosaki-kun," Urahara said.

"I will," he said, before he opened the sliding door and walked out of the room.

* * *

><p><strong>Later<strong>

Urahara was sitting at his desk looking over some paperwork. He felt soft, yet strong arms wrapping themselves around his shoulders. A bare Yoruichi pressed into Urahara.

"Come on Kisuke. Let's make ourselves some kittens," she purred into his ear.

Kisuke's mouth stopped working and dropped open. Blood began to rush from his nose. He plugged his nose with his fingers.

Yoruichi roared with laughter.

"You're such a tease, Yoruichi!" Urahara whined.

Yoruichi sauntered to the door, opening it.

"I am going to take a bath," she stated.

She looked back over her shoulder.

"Well…Are you coming or not?" she asked.

Urahara quickly got up and followed Yoruichi to the hot spring bath.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **_A little romance between the candy man and the feline princess, oh la la_.Please forgive me for this late update. I'm a failure . Ichigo's second Fullbring form was skipped because I did not want him to have to go through any unnecessary pain to reach his goal. The following incidents will not be included in future chapters: Ichigo's first fight with Tsukishima; his one-sided/brutal fight with Ginjo when he blinds Ichigo, which caused unwarranted pain and damage; and any other part involving Ichigo and the other members of Xcution. Please tell me what you think! Any suggestions? I appreciate any constructive criticism because I would like to become a better storyteller. ^_^

Thanks to my wonderful beta _deathbychappy6_!

-xoxo Nova


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own _Bleach_ and it belongs to Mr. Kubo Tite.

Note: _Hello_- Thoughts.

**Recap: **Ichigo is spying on Xcution with help from Urahara and Yoruichi. He is not giving into Ginjo's talk of getting him back his powers, so he is pretending to go along with the charade to see what Ginjo and the Xcution are really up to.

**A/N: **Hello everyone! I'm still alive. I have been busy with school, but school is now out, so there will be no more excuses. Please forgive me. (Bows deeply). Anyhow, please enjoy this super long chapter for my tardiness.

* * *

><p><strong>5:36 pm, Thursday, Kurakura Town<strong>

Ichigo was on his way home from rehearsal. It was relaxing for him to think about Shakespeare and not about Xcution. Although, his serenity did not last for long after he found out that the director, Kojimi-sensei, was forcing the cast to perform Hamlet at the newer Kurakura Circle Theatre three weeks from now. Tickets cost 1250 yen, about five dollars, but every cast member would receive five free tickets for their families.

What made the situation even worse was that Kojimi-sensei had written an advertisement to be put in the local newspapers. On Friday morning, his name, along with the other leading cast members, would be in the papers for everyone to see. Everyone in Kurakura would know his secret love of Shakespeare.

The only thing he could do to keep himself from freaking out was to think about the twelve-page research paper that he had to work on.

Ichigo entered the house and was greeted by his sisters. They went to the dinner table where there was a serving dish filled with chicken curry, a few other dishes filled with vegetables, and three bowls of white rice was on the center of the table.

Ichigo noticed the missing fourth bowl of rice. "Dad's not eating with us tonight?"

"He's having dinner in his office, he told us we could eat without him," Karin said, who immediately helped herself to a bowl of steaming rice.

"Which reminds me, he wants to you to go to his office when you are finished eating," Yuzu said.

Ichigo's eyebrow rose with apprehension.

_'Maybe he wants to speak to me about the plan.'_

* * *

><p><strong>After Dinner<strong>

Ichigo went to the clinic, making his way to his father's office. He carried a plate of chocolate chip cookies in his right hand and he knocked on the door with his left.

"Come in," Ichigo took note to the serious voice that called out.

Unconsciously, he held in his breath before he opened the door.

"Hey Dad, I brought you dessert," Ichigo said.

He placed the plate on Isshin's desk.

"Thank you, son. Please have a seat."

Ichigo awkwardly went to the cushioned chair and sat down, feeling the tense atmosphere.

Isshin clasped his hands together, leaning on them so his eyes were fixated on Ichigo. "There is something that I have been meaning to talk to you about for a while now, but I was not sure if now was the right time," he said.

"What is it?" Ichigo asked.

"I know you said you were happy not having your powers, and you've been adjusted surprisingly well to a normal life. However, if there was, say…a possibility for you to recover your powers…" Isshin asked.

There was a pause, a chill in the air as Ichigo's eyes widened at the suggestion.

"Would you want it back? Isshin finished, watching closely for any reaction from his son.

Ichigo looked down his hands.

He wasn't sure.

It seemed like if he recovered his powers, something bad would happen. His powers seemed to be like a trouble magnet. Something always bad happened around him. He wasn't sure if he could deal with any more over powered, power hungry or revenge seeking bastards. He was also aware that he had the hero complex, and that others would take advantage of that.

He also could not bring any more harm to his family and friends. Although he knew a select few would be able to handle themselves, he did want to cause them any more pain and suffering. The only thing that he would want back was to be able to see and speak to Rukia again.

Isshin noticed his son looked very conflicted, and he didn't blame him. His son had seen and experienced battles and death that no one his age should have experienced. All he wanted for his son was for him to be able to live a normal life. He tired so hard, but he failed. He also knew that his son missed Rukia. Ichigo and Rukia's bond was far stronger than either of them knew.

* * *

><p><strong>Later<strong>

Ichigo walked out of his father's office, still thinking about the main question that invaded his thoughts.

He opened the door from the clinic that led to the house.

His sisters, who had been watching television, noticed Ichigo come from the clinic. They look on their brother's face told them something was wrong, and they needed to know what it was.

"Ichi-nii, what happened?" Yuzu asked.

Ichigo shook his head. "It's nothing. Dad just gave me something to think about, that's all," Ichigo said.

He looked at his sisters and hugged them. He kissed their foreheads, causing them to blush with surprise. He rarely showed them such affection. He then went upstairs to his bedroom where he would lay on his bed, thinking about his past experiences and thinking about the possible future he could have with or without his powers.

* * *

><p><strong>12:00 pm, Friday, Kurakura Academy<strong>

The news had spread fast around school about Ichigo starring as Hamlet. His teachers had congratulated him in his classes, to which he politely bowed and forced out a few thank you's. Ichigo appeared to be calm, but he was completely mortified. His friends had questioned him and were kind of mad at him for not telling them.

Ichigo and his friends were eating lunch in uncomfortable silence. His friends knew that something else was wrong, his silence was raising questions. Now that his secret was out, he could not stop thinking about the possibility of getting his powers back.

Uryu broke the silence "Ichigo, what's wrong?"

"Well, I'm horrified that my secret is out and that I have to perform the play in public," Ichigo half-lied.

"We already know that, idiot. We can see that you are worried about something else. Is it about the plan?" Tatsuki asked.

Ichigo ran his hand through his hair and sighed. "My dad asked me if I wanted my powers back."

Tatsuki's eyes widened with surprise."Really?! He can give you your powers back?!"

"I don't know. I do have a feeling Urahara would have something to do with that," Ichigo said.

"Do you want your powers back?" Uryu asked.

"I keep thinking about the pros and cons, but the only thing that I keep coming back to are the cons. Living a normal human life is okay and I can do that. Besides, I have a bad habit of helping others at the drop of a dime," Ichigo said.

Tatsuki snorted. "We all know you have a hero complex, but you shouldn't always have to be the protector Ichigo. Heck, you've done enough saving for a lifetime. You should be able to live a normal human life where all you have to worry about is securing a good job and paying bills or whatever," she sympathized the way she knew best.

"But what about you guys," Ichigo said looking at Orihime and Chad, "If it wasn't for me. You two would not have to worry about hollows and you two would never have dev-."

Ichigo was cut off when Chad placed his hand on Ichigo's shoulder, a sign that told Ichigo to shut up.

"Ichigo-kun, if it wasn't for you we would not be able to help you when you need it," Orihime said honestly.

* * *

><p><strong>5:37 pm, Sunday, Movie Theater<strong>

Ichigo, Uryu, Tatsuki, Keigo, and Mizuiro just came from seeing an action blockbuster movie. Chad was not able to make it because he had training and Orihime was not able to make it because she was sick. The five were taking a short cut through the park.

"Wasn't it awesome when the ninja was about to shot at by the cowboy, then the ninja blocked the bullets with his katana!" Keigo exclaimed.

"Yeah. The special effects were surprisingly decent," Mizuiro said.

"I thought the acting was mediocre though," Tatsuki commented.

"What? Those actors put their everything into their roles and that movie," Keigo began.

Keigo's speech was cut short when he realized that his friends had stopped walking. Keigo looked in front him and he began to feel the tension in the atmosphere.

Ginjo and his subordinates were blocking their path, looking imposing.

Ichigo's teeth grinded and his body went rigid. He discreetly turned on the surveillance equipment.

Ginjo answered Ichigo's question before he could ask. "You wouldn't answer my calls, so I figured I had to meet you face to face," he grinned.

"Whatever you want from me can wait until tomorrow. I have school tomorrow," Ichigo said, looking Ginjo in his eyes.

"I'm afraid it can't wait. Why have you been skipping training?" he asked.

"Well, I am a high school student after all," Ichigo said.

"Like that has ever stopped you before," Ginjo said nonchalantly.

Uryu narrowed his eyes, focusing on the man name Ginjo. There was something about him that didn't feel right, and as soon as he figured it out, he knew danger was standing before them. "Ichigo. The man in the front was the one who attacked me," he said.

Ichigo's look turned into a glared. He knew that man could not be trusted.

Tatsuki, Mizuiro, and Keigo watched the tense conversation between Ichigo and Ginjo.

Suddenly a quick blur appeared in front of Tatsuki. Uryu blocked the potentially fatal blow with a quickly produced Quincy Arrow. The blur slowed down. It was Tsukishima. The arrow barely pierced his right shoulder. Tsukishima appeared next to Ginjo who grinned wickedly.

Chad and Orihime came running from behind the Xcution with the intention to help the Xcution. Urahara and Isshin effectively, but gently made the two teenagers unconscious.

Ichigo turned to Tatsuki, Mizuiro, and Keigo. "You need to get out of here and get someplace safe," he told them.

The three powerless teenagers hesitated.

Tatsuki looked into Ichigo's eyes. She saw his a spark of his old resolve. "Don't get injured too badly and try not to die, again," she said.

"I'll try not to, but I can't make any promises," Ichigo said with a small smile.

Tatsuki and Mizuiro shook their heads. Keigo was quiet and serious.

"Let's go guys," Tatsuki said.

Mizuiro followed Tatsuki to a safe haven. Keigo was the last to follow the two. He gave Ichigo a sad look and then took off after his friends.

Ichigo turned back to the Xcution. Uryu was on defense standing beside him.

"What do you really want from me Ginjo?" Ichigo asked.

"It's simple really. I want your fullbring. I thought you would fall for out plan, but it seems that we were mistaken to think that you would be so gullible," Ginjo said bitterly.

Ginjo went to attack Ichigo. Uryu covered Ichigo with an arrow on the ready. Unfortunately, Tsukishima was coming towards Uryu with his sword. Uryu reluctantly engaged in battle with Tsukishima. Ichigo activated his fullbring and did his best to block Ginjo's swings. Ginjo used his foot to cause Ichigo to use his balance. As Ichigo fell forward, Ginjo drove his sword into Ichigo's chest.

Blood came dribbling down Ichigo's mouth.

"You dirty bastard," Ichigo muttered.

A wave of energy engulfed Ginjo who laughed like a maniac. He was revealed wearing an outfit similar to Ichigo's fullbring.

"Thank you for your power Ichigo," Ginjo grinned maliciously.

"Hey! What about us! You said that you would share," Riruka complained.

Ginjo turned around to his group.

"Oh yes, I almost forgot," the man said causally.

He gave the members a small portion of his power, which significantly boosted their fullbring.

Ichigo struggled to stand up. He felt strong arms supporting him up. Ichigo looked behind him and saw his father and Urahara. He then felt a warm sensation in the middle of his chest. It was a glowing sword made of energy.

"What?" Ichigo questioned.

"You should be able to see now, son," Isshin said.

Bit by bit, the silhouette of a person began to form into a warm and familiar figure. Rukia appeared before his eyes, grasping the sword in his chest.

"Rukia," Ichigo said shocked.

"Hello, Ichigo," she said with a smile.

Suddenly, Ichigo felt a pulse of energy.

There was an explosion of power. Smoke filled the area and once it was cleared, Ichigo was revealed wearing a modified black shihakusho and holding a changed Zangetsu. There was x shaped guards on his wrists and around his neck. The red chain across his chest was also modified.

Ichigo felt the different reiatsu signatures pulsing through and around him, raising questions.

Byakuya, Renji, Kenpachi, Ikkaku, and Toshiro arrived in a hero worthy manner.

"We all gave our reiatsu to the sword so your powers could be restored," Renji said as he appeared in front of Ichigo.

Ichigo began deciphering the given reiatsu in his body. He felt the majority of the captain's reiatsu signatures. He was shocked that even Byakuya gave him some of his reiatsu. Ichigo eyes widened with shock.

"No way! Even Gramps," Ichigo asked shocked.

"Soul Society has changed because of your influence Kurosaki. Even the Captain Commander has been influenced by you," Toshiro said.

Ichigo was too shocked to speak. Of all people he had never expected the very powerful and ancient shinigami commander to go breaking the most sacred of shinigami rules.

"Thank you, everyone," Ichigo said as he looked at the surrounding shinigami.

"This is impossible! How can he regain his shinigami powers after he I took his Fullbring," Ginjo shouted angrily.

"Fullbring has nothing to do with shinigami powers. It's not something you can just take away," Rukia explained.

Ichigo turned to Ginjo and glared at him.

"_Ichigo. Be careful. Ginjo has stolen your reiatsu, which means he can copy your attacks and use them against you," _Urahara said through his mike.

"Understand," Ichigo said, readying his sword.

Ichigo released a massive wave of energy through Zangetsu.

Ginjo looked at the after effects of the attack. "A Getsuga Tensho," he said.

"That wasn't a Getsuga Tensho. That as was a practice swing," Ichigo said.

Ichigo caught eyes with Uryu. He slightly nodded his head and Uryu nodded back.

Ichigo clashed swords with Ginjo. While they were fighting, the shinigami paired off with the Fullbringers.

Since Uryu was no longer fighting Tsukishima, he was standing off on the sidelines just in case Ichigo needed his help, which he doubted, but still.

Suddenly, Ichigo, Uryu, and Ginjo were surrounded in a giant black box.

Ginjo grinned. "Thanks Yukio."

Ichigo had a feeling that he would not be able to cut his way out of the box unless he won this battle.

_'Dammit. This is not good. Uryu is in here.'_ Ichigo thought.

Ginjo slashes a Getsuga Tensho in Ichigo's direction. Ichigo tries to cancel it with his own Getsuga Tensho, causing an explosion. Ginjo brings his sword down on Ichigo, who easily blocks it. Ichigo and Ginjo both parry multiple blows.

Ginjo suddenly paused. "It seems that Tsukishima is dying. That means his _influence_ on Orihime and Chad will disappear," he said.

Ichigo pauses momentarily.

"What are you fighting for Ichigo? Am I truly the one you should be fighting when the real enemy hides right outside of this box?" Ginjo asked.

"What crap are you spewing out now, Ginjo?" Ichigo asked irritated.

"Don't listen to him Kurosaki," Uryu warned.

"The Substitute Shinigami Badge. Have you ever noticed periods of when it seemed to be acting of it's own accord? That badge was specifically given to you to control you, or more specifically to control your reiatsu. And do you know who was the person responsible for that scheme? It was none other than Ukitake-taicho. He fooled us both," Ginjo said.

Uryu looked worriedly at Ichigo.

"Hm. I thought something was up when Ukitake-san gave me the badge. Ukitake is much smarter than I, so he could have easily avoided making me suspicious of the badge. However, I had my moments of doubt, but I just ignored my suspicions because I had a duty to protect others," Ichigo said.

"Bankai," Ichigo whispered.

The energy from the release basically shattered the black box. The three were now out in the open. Uryu appeared on the ground. He wanted to be as far away from any battle Kurosaki Ichigo was involved in.

Ginjo also copied Ichigo. The two clashed at high speeds. Ichigo and Ginjo landed on the ground. Ginjo was mortally wounded and his sword had shattered. Ginjo slumps onto the ground.

An injured Tsukishima tries to stab Ichigo in his back with his sword. Riruka takes the blow for Ichigo. The sword plummeted into her chest.

"You shouldn't have used an attack that would kill. Ichigo saved Ginjo while we could not," Riruka said to the mourning Tsukishima.

Ichigo's face was stoic but his eyes were sad. Ginjo's death was unnecessary, but it had to be done. He had so much hatred in his heart, that death seemed the only way for him to understand and to relieve the darkness inside of him.

* * *

><p><strong>2:15 p.m., Sunday, Urahara Shoten <strong>

"Riruka has disappeared," Urahara told Ichigo who was sitting at the table.

Ichigo was silent. Yoruichi, in cat form, was perched on his lap. He gently stroked her ears. Her eyes were closed and she purred. He was trying really hard not to think of the fact that Yoruichi was actually a woman who would be lying naked on his lap if she were in human form.

"What's on your mind Ichigo? You should be having fun, not here brooding," Urahara said.

"I need to go to Soul Society," Ichigo said.

Urahara had a feeling what Ichigo wanted to do. He could see the resolve in his eyes and he could hear it in his voice. Yoruichi's eyes were open and she glanced at the young substitute shinigami.

"Very well," Urahara said with a smile.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Okay everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry if the battle scene went too quickly. I'm not the best at writing those kinds of scenes. Chapter 12 will be the final chapter for this story. I will not be doing a sequel because the Vandereich Arc is a little bit too confusing for me to make sense of. I hope that this story was somewhat entertaining for you all. Please review! Thanks again to Crystal, my beta. Until next time! ^_^

-NovaLinx


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own _Bleach_ and it belongs to Mr. Kubo Tite.

**A/N: **I used some dialogue from the manga.

Note: _Hello_- Thoughts.

* * *

><p><strong>4:25 p.m., Sunday, Soul Society<strong>

Ichigo was making his way to the First Division when he passed Renji.

"Yo, Renji," Ichigo said casually as he passed by the redhead.

"Yo, Ichigo," Renji said nonchalantly.

Renji stopped and then gaped with surprise. "Wait, wait, wait! Ichigo, what are you doing here all of the sudden?"

"I need to speak with Gramps," Ichigo said before he shunpoed away, leaving Renji stunned for a while.

Ichigo arrived outside of the First Division meeting room. The captains greeted Ichigo at the entrance and they entered the meeting room. The majority of the captains present lined up. The Captain Commander was already sitting in his chair.

"Kurosaki Ichigo. Thank you for your hard work," the Captain Commander said.

Ichigo was a bit taken aback by the thank you. "Uh, yeah. Don't mention it. I didn't come here for praise."

"For what reason did you come then?" the ancient man asked.

"I came here to retrieve the body of Ginjo Kugo that Renji brought here, and bury it in the material world," Ichigo said.

A few captains gasped with surprise.

"You idiot. Do you do you have any idea what you are talking about?" Shinji asked.

"That's right! That man was a criminal and a murderer," Soi Fong commented.

"No I'm not talkin' about that. After everything that man has done to you and your loved ones. You can forgive someone like that? No wait. You think it's okay to?" Hirako Shinji asked.

Ichigo closed his eyes. "This is not about forgiveness. Everyone is back to normal and I'm alive. And he is a mere a Shinigami Representative."

The room was silent.

"That phrase. Would I be correct in taking that phrase as a deeply deliberate one?" the Commander asked.

Ichigo looked at the Commander in the eyes with unflinching resolve.

* * *

><p><strong>8:40 p.m., Saturday, Kurakura Circle Theatre <strong>

Ichigo and his cast mates had just finished Hamlet. They received a standing ovation and the director, Kojimi-sensei, was crying with happiness. Ichigo had finished changing out of his costume into a suit and tie that Yuzu had bought for him for his birthday. He then headed to the lobby where his friends and family were waiting for him.

"Ichigo! You were amazing! Wow, you look amazing in that suit!" Yuzu squealed.

Orihime could not help but to blush at the sight of Ichigo. Even Tatsuki felt her cheeks warming up a bit.

"Yeah. You were pretty convincing as Hamlet," Karin commented.

"Thank you Yuzu, Karin," Ichigo said.

Ichigo was talking to his friends when he noticed that his dad was missing.

"Where's Dad?" Ichigo asked his sisters.

"He's over there talking to some people. Wait? Hey Karin! Isn't that Toshiro?" Yuzu asked pointing in the direction of where their father was.

Karin looked and in that direction and her eyes widened.

Ichigo and his friends spun on their heels to see Isshin talking to the majority of the captains and some of their lieutenants, who were in gigai, with familiarity (with the exception of Komamura, Mayuri, Nemu, Kenpachi, and Yachiru who were not present). Yoruichi and Kisuke were near the group. Ichigo's curiosity about his father's past was getting to him, so he decided go up to the group of shinigami.

"Hey everyone. Hey dad," Ichigo said.

"Oh, uh, hello son," Isshin said in a false cheery voice.

The captains and lieutenants gaped at him. Ukitake and Rukia especially looked like they seen a ghost, no pun intended.

"What?" Ichigo asked confused.

"You didn't tell him who you are?" Ukitake asked incredulously.

Isshin rubbed the back of his head. "Uh, I was waiting for the right time."

Ichigo wanted to tell them that he knew his dad is a shinigami, but he felt that he should just leave it alone.

"When were you ever going to tell us about you little escapades in the material realm. I'm sure the Commander would like to hear about it," Unohana said kindly yet scary tone.

Isshin paled. "Like I said earlier, Unohana-san. I was waiting for the right time and it is also a very, very long story, so if you don't mind, I have to take my children home," Isshin said hurriedly.

"Hey old man, can we leave now?" Karin asked, walking next to Yuzu.

Toshiro looked like he came to a sudden realization. His face was contorted into a look of fear and happiness. Rangiku was giggling. Ichigo raised an eyebrow at Toshiro, and Toshiro noticed and quickly looked away.

"Karin! Dad is actually socializing with actual adults. We can spare him ten more minutes," Yuzu whispered.

Ichigo overheard his sister and smiled. Ichigo then realized that he had an opportunity to talk to Rukia.

"Hey Rukia. Can we talk?" Ichigo asked her quietly as he went to her side.

"S-sure," Rukia said.

Ichigo led Rukia to a secluded part of the lobby.

"I'm glad that I get to see you again. I like your hair by the way," Ichigo complimented.

"I am glad as well, and thank you," Rukia said blushing.

Ichigo and Rukia sat in silence for a few minutes. Ichigo broke the silence.

"I wanted to tell you something that I did not say to you the day I woke up from my coma. Rukia, you have changed my world completely. You taught me so much, not just about being a shinigami, but how to be open and honest with my feelings and my past. You are my light. You lift me up from my darkness. You are the best thing that has every happened to me. You are apart of me; you are in my heart," he said.

Rukia's eyes were wide with shock and emotion.

"Wow. I don't think I can beat what you said to me. Anyway. Ichigo, you are the most courageous, idiotic, lovable, boy—no man, that I have ever met. You are my shield. I can always look for you to be there for me. The first time I met you, it frightened me how easily it was for me to open up to you. I know I like to hide behind a mask of frigidity sometimes, but you always find a way to break the ice that surrounds my heart. You are my sunshine on a rainy day. Your light reaches and warms my heart," Rukia said.

_'That was beautiful.' _Ichigo thought.

Ichigo's heart was pounding inside his chest, and his hands were moist with sweat "Rukia, I love you."

"I love you too, Ichigo," Rukia said with warm, red cheeks.

Ichigo and Rukia leaned in closer to each other. Ichigo could smell the scent of lavender. Her violet eyes were dazzling up close. Ichigo closed his eyes, as did Rukia, and his lips touched her soft, rose petal-like lips. They held their first kiss for a few seconds before they separated and went in for a series of kisses. They pulled apart and beamed at each other.

"You kiss pretty well, Midget," Ichigo said with a playful glint in his eyes.

"You're not so bad yourself, Strawberry," Rukia said smirking.

Ichigo and Rukia walked hand in hand to the main part of the lobby, where their friends and family were waiting for them.

Isshin was the first person to notice that his son and Rukia were holding hands. He grinned like an idiot. When the shinigami and humans saw what he was grinning at, they all had similar reactions.

The majority of the company basically thought:

Tatsuki and Chad: _'It's about time!'_

Mizuiro and Keigo: _'Finally!'_

Unohana and Yoruichi: _'It took the idiots long enough to get together.'_

Isshin: _'I'm going to have gorgeous grandkids.'_

Orihime and Matsumoto: _'I'm very happy for them!'_

Chad, Isane, and Nanoa: _'I think I'm going to cry with happiness.'_

Kyouraku, Hisagi, Shinji, Rose, Kensei, and Matsumoto again: _'This is a cause for celebration! Where's the nearest bar!'_

Ukitake: _'I am glad that Rukia is finally happy.'_

Byakuya and Renji: _'If he does anything to hurt her, he will die a painful death by my hands. However, I am happy for them as long as Rukia is happy.'_

Byakuya knows what type of man Ichigo is. He trusts the man with his life, Rukia's life, and the lives of his comrades. He also knows that Ichigo knows that if he did anything to hurt his beloved sister, he would face the wrath of Senbonzakura, including the wrath of the other captains, lieutenants, and shinigami of the Gotei 13.

Ichigo was happy that he didn't see a cascade of cherry blossoms heading his way. He noticed the slight nod of Byakuya's head, which meant that he approved of his budding relationship with his sister. Ichigo also knew that he would be sent an invitation to the Kuchiki mansion to have a "talk" with Byakuya.

Isshin on the other hand knew that his moment of happiness would not last long. He had a bit of traveling to do back and forth between the material world and Soul Society to explain his disappearance. He would only talk to Yamamoto because he could trust the man. He hated Central 46, and would try to avoid them like the plague. Luckily, Kisuke had a device that would make him undetectable whenever he entered Soul Society.

Ichigo hoped that his life could remain as peaceful as this night for a long time, but he knew that evil was always lurking in the dark, waiting to flood out into the peace and instigate harm onto innocent beings. And whenever that fateful day arrives, Ichigo, his friends, and his comrades will be waiting to extinguish that evil and drive it back into the darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>Kurosaki Family Epilogue<strong>

Ichigo and Rukia had been married for seventy-five years. While Ichigo's soul had remained youthful, his body did not. Before he had succumbed to old age, Ichigo thought about getting rid of his body, but his friends and family insisted that he try to live his life as a human. As his body aged, it was harder for his soul to get out of his body. Ichigo realized that he should enjoy his golden years as a human and leave the occasional hollows to the shinigami that were posted in his town.

Rukia still lived in Soul Society, but she was allowed to visit Ichigo once a week, if she wasn't too busy with her lieutenant duties. When Ichigo began getting older, she asked Urahara for a gigai that would age along with Ichigo. She did not want him to feel like he was alone. Since they were not able to have children because of their special circumstance, they doted on Yuzu's children and grandchildren. As Yuzu got older, she was able to clearly see spirits and hollows. She had also gained the healing techniques of the Quincy.

Karin did not have any children of her own. When she became twenty, her soul had stopped aging because spiritual pressure had grown significantly. However, she was not able to become a shinigami until soul was legitimately unattached from her body. She and Toshiro had begun a relationship, so they were in a similar predicament as Ichigo and Rukia.

As for Isshin, he had gone back to Soul Society to fix things with his clan. Unfortunately, for Ichigo, as soon as he died, he would become the new head of the Shiba clan, which meant a lot of training in politics and the rules of nobles. Ichigo had already been trained by his father and other captains on how to be a proper shinigami without him having to actually attend the academy. Ichigo knew the theory and could practice the theory. He had mastered the ability to control his reiatsu so he would not kill himself or anyone else around him while performing kidou spells.

Eighty-three year old Ichigo was sitting in a recliner reading a book when he suddenly felt exhausted. He closed his book and put it down on the table beside him. He knew his time was coming, so he closed his eyes and smiled.

He felt light and weightless. He opened his eyes. He was standing in his living room. He looked down and saw his body. He looked peaceful. He realized that he was in his shinigami form. He stretched his younger and leaner body. Rukia, also in shinigami form, appeared next to him.

"Are you ready to go home, Ichigo?" she asked.

The day before, Ichigo had visited his friends, so he did not feel the need to have to say goodbye again. They would know when he was gone.

Ichigo looked at her and smiled. "I waited seventy-five years. Let's go," he said.

Rukia opened the passage to Soul Society. Ichigo and Rukia walked side by side through the gates to the world where they will happily spend their ever after.

_The end._

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Well folks, it has been a pleasure. I hope you enjoyed this short story, and I hope that is was at least partially fulfilling. Thank you readers for your support and words of encouragement. Thanks again to Crystal, _**deathbychappy6**_, for being my amazing Beta. She has always been there for me, even when she was busy dealing with life. ^_^

-NovaLinx


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